Unending
by sheteego
Summary: Adalind warned Nick. Nick defeated Black Claw (with the help of Diana) Now what?
1. Chapter 1

This is my first story for GRIMM (one of my fav shows on tv). I've read some wonderful ones over the last couple of weeks and they made me want to write something (also i'm pretty anxious to see how next season begins). so here goes.

send me your feedback. let me know if you like it and if i should continue. thanks

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To say she was confident in her plan would be a lie. There wasn't even a plan, not really. It felt more like a compulsion, something she had to do. Otherwise she would go crazy waiting and wondering and hurting more than she realized. The only certain part of her plan was that she had to go. What if it was too late? What if she … what if Kelly… what if they … lost him?

Adalind messed up. At the time she didn't see any other choice. She tried to fix it by sending Diana with a warning. Had that been enough? Her heart raced as she got closer, each beat like shards of glass in her chest at the realization of what she might find.

She was going home; her's and Nick's and Kelly's. To be honest, being there with Nick was the first time in her life that she actually felt safe. Everyone in her life always had an ulterior motive, Adalind was groomed to serve a master and she played the dutiful role very well. Never feeling quite like she belonged to herself or having an idea of who she really was. Never realizing that it was impossible to feel safe in the company of people who only wanted what they could get from you. Until Nick.

Nick Burkhardt, a man she hated before she even knew anything about him. As Wesen you are groomed to hate Grimms, to fear them more than anything else in this world. Her mother told her stories about their cruelty to her kind and like all good little Wesen children she learned to stay away from Grimms. It's funny how being a dutiful witch and servant, threw her right into the path of her worse nightmare. The thought didn't escape her that she could just run away. Take the kids and go far away from Sean and Conrad, all the people that wanted the old Adalind, the one that did as she was told. That would also mean being far away from Nick.

As Adalind got closer she couldn't help smiling as she thought about the first time she saw the place Nick had arranged for them; more military bunker than home. But their presence, being together as a family, albeit a surprising one, turned the cold concrete walls into something more than just a place to hide out. It still surprised her when she thought about all the measures Nick took to ensure their safety. He should have hated the sight of Adalind, maybe for a while he did, but he protected her and their son. He asked nothing of her but to take care of Kelly. Their little boy, who was currently sitting in his car seat, eyes wide open when Adalind glanced at him through the rear view mirror.

Adalind wasn't sure what the right thing was anymore. She'd been so confident before Nick took her powers; before he kissed her and she bite him, taking a part of him inside her. Until that moment she was sure of who she was, confident in the decisions that she made. Now, she was a mess and hurting more than she wanted to let on to the two children sitting in the car.

They caused a lot of changes in each other's lives. She tried to hurt Nick and he got her back by taking her powers. That drove her to get pregnant with the child of a royal and use said child as a bargaining tool to get her powers back. Adalind had been so proud of her plan, confident it its ability to get her what she wanted. Then she gave birth to Diana and she realized just how selfish she was; just like her mother. Maybe Nick had been correct in taking Diana away from her.

Adalind looked over at the little girl sitting in the passenger seat beside her; overwhelmed by a sudden fear that once again she had failed her children. Diana and Kelly deserved better than her. They deserved someone like Nick, who would always put them first and give his life to protect them. Nick would ever use them as a bargaining tool. He would never let Kelly feel any less than wanted, despite his unusual conception. Adalind could feel the shards dig deeper into her chest. It was all her fault. For a long time she hated Nick, wanted him dead, even tried to kill him a few times.

Everything changed when she seduced him while pretending to be Juliette. She was hell bent on revenge for him stealing Diana; focused on hurting the Grimm, just like every good Wesen teach their children to do. Adalind didn't plan on getting pregnant with Kelly. She hadn't thought about the possibility of that happening. With Diana that had been her goal; she wanted to get pregnant. But Kelly, was an accident, another consequence of the decisions that she made. She wanted to hurt Nick, to rob him of something that was important to him, just like he robbed her of her daughter. Adalind wanted him to suffer, to want something and realize it was out of his reach.

Kelly wasn't a consequence that she saw coming, but he gave her a second chance. In a way, it was like Nick replaced what he had taken from her. She wanted to stay as far away from him and everyone she knew. But fate had a sense of humor, so she found herself running right to him. Not an easy decision for a Wesen. Asking for a Grimm's helps, even if you were carrying his child, was like asking to be struck by lightning. Deep down, she knew she could count on him. In all their crazy interactions with each other there were two things that she figured out; Nick would do anything to protect the people he cared about and it was best to stay out of his way when he had to.

There was the temptation to break, to pull her kids to her chest and hold them tight as she let tears pour out of dehydrated eyes. In the craziness that was her life, Adalind Shade had forgotten how to be strong. With Nick it had been so easy to be vulnerable because she knew, no matter what, he would be there to save her. His arms were strong enough for both of them and they allowed her to let go. For the first time she could just be, without pressure from anyone or her guard up to shield her from those wanting to take advantage. Weakness felt good when she had Nick's strength to shield her.

Adalind thought she was being strong when she left him and joined Sean so that she could be with Diana. She thought that was the right thing to do. Now she wasn't sure about anything. Adalind couldn't trust her decisions; everything she did resulted in someone getting hurt. She wanted to have both her children in her life and she wanted Nick to be there beside her, but maybe she didn't deserve that. Not after all the bad things she had done.

Please let him be okay.

Their home hadn't been much, just provided the bare essential but there was nowhere else like it. It's the place where they rocked Kelly to sleep when he was fussy, where she learned to be a mother, where they learned to be parents. The place where Nick held her close to his side because she was scared, realizing afterwards that he wanted her there. It's where they made love for the first time and where she surprised both of them by saying 'I love you'.

"Mommy, do we have to be here? Daddy will be mad." Adalind whipped around to face Diana but stopped harsh words from leaving her lips. She didn't care what Sean wanted. He could go to hell.

"It's ok Diana. It will be okay." She wanted to exit the car and make the journey through the garage and up the lift, she still had the keys. But, what if this was another bad Adalind decision? Especially being unsure of what she would see and how Conrad would react to her being there. Unconsciously she placed her hand at her neck where it still hurt from Conrad choking the words from her lips. If Nick dies it will be her fault and she would be left with explaining to a child that his father had been killed because she wanted too much. If Nick died would she be able to protect Kelly?

"Mommy, it's ok. The bad man won't hurt you anymore." Adalind turned towards her daughter, recognizing a look that made Adalind worry. What had she done?

"Diana, is there something you need to tell me?" There was a slight lump in her throat as she braced herself for what Diana was about to tell her. The vision of Rachel strangled by her bedsheets flashed before Adalind's eyes and she became acutely aware of just how little control she had over this situation.

"He is gone now. He won't hurt you anymore." Diana's blue eyes, so much like her own, carried a gleam of satisfaction mixed in with the innocence of a little girl. It's the same look she had after she killed Rachel. Adalind knew Diana didn't understand what she was doing; she acted based on how she felt. It wasn't her fault. It was another blame that could be placed at Adalind's feet.

She had so much to atone for; she just hoped Nick's life wasn't a part of that.

"Diana, are you talking about Conrad? Did you hurt him?"

"He hurt mommy."

In the next few second Adalind noticed just how quiet it was. There were no movements coming from the building, no sounds of a war ragging. Just silence that caused her heart to fill with hope that maybe, just maybe, Nick had survived. She needed to let Diana know that it was not okay to hurt people simply because we didn't like them. It was an opportunity to teach her a lesson. But the silence distracted her, before being broken by an exited Kelly who seemed to recognize exactly where he was.

That place was Kelly's home. The babbling sounds from the back seat got louder as Kelly kicked his legs in anticipation of being released from his car seat or maybe it was the thought of seeing his dad again. Kelly knew things had changed. He was old enough to realize that the faces around him were different. He had been fussy since they moved into that house with Sean and Black Claw and Adalind knew it wasn't simply due to an interruption in his routine. He missed his dad. They missed the security of knowing he would be home at the end of the day.

She reached towards the back and touched his feet but it only spurred him on. His face was getting red and Adalind knew what would follow. The first decibel of his cry broke her heart. She felt the tightening in her chest and the weight of an elephant pressing against her rib cage. Don't break; she tried to tell herself.

Diana looked at her with curious eyes while Kelly's cries intensified.

She had to do something.

"It's okay Kelly." She finally cooed when she got herself under control. Adalind opened her door and exited the vehicle. It was dark out but the building lights were enough for her to see the path to the garage.

Five minutes later she had Kelly on her right hip and a worried Diana holding her hand as the three walked towards the door.

It was still quiet when she made it inside the garage. Nick's car was there and so was Monroe's, causing Adalind to breathe a sigh of relief at the thought that Nick had not been alone. She tried to convince herself that the silence was a good thing; maybe Conrad hadn't showed up. Maybe Nick had been able to get away, so there was no point in them sticking around. She remembered Diana's words from in the car. Maybe Diana had saved Nick's life. Maybe she wouldn't have to worry about Conrad anymore. Maybe.

The problem with maybe was that it provided no real answers.

Kelly kicked against her side as the lift moved upwards; distracting his mom from the anxious turmoil pushing her to turn back.

"Mommy, how long will we be here?" She looked down at her daughter and found that she could offer no answer to that question. Adalind had no clue what she was about to walk into.

"I don't know. Mommy just needs to…" Make sure that the man she loved was still alive. "You love Kelly don't you?" Diana leaned forward to look at Kelly.

"Yes." Adalind ignored the lack of conviction. They still needed time to be a family.

"Well, the bad man wanted to hurt Kelly's daddy." the lift came to a stop with a slight jolt. Adalind released Diana's hand to pull the gate upwards. She'd done this many times carrying Kelly, diaper bag and her briefcase. "We are just making sure he is okay."

"And then we go home?" They were home.

"We will see, I have to … oh my god."

There were bodies everywhere. She pulled Kelly tighter into her side and wrapped an arm around Diana's shoulder. She should take the kids back down and run away now before it was too late, but she needed to know. Adalind held on to her children tight as her knees felt weak. Kelly started kicking his legs, agitated with the restriction and lack of forward movement. His cries died once she got him out of the car but they started again; this time she was grateful for them because they masked the whimper escaping her lips.

It was her fault. It was all her fault. She should have told Nick about the phone call, that she was going to meet Conrad. She shouldn't have gone there on her own. She knew she wasn't strong enough to resist their schemes, not when it involved her children. She should have trusted Nick to find a way but she had already lost so much time with Diana.

What if Nick was dead?

It would be because of her.

Adalind wanted to move but she couldn't. Kelly's cries grew louder against her ear and she wanted to sooth him, to tell him everything would be okay, but she couldn't.

"Nick!" The name echoed across the room, putting a stop to Kelly's crying as his little head searched the room for his dad.

"Nick!" The second time she realized the sound was coming from her. She was calling his name, because she had to. There was nothing else she could do as she stood anchored in the doorway of the lift.

"Nick!" There was no hiding the tears that laced each letter. Please let him be okay. She tried to will it into truth as she looked at the chaos of their home. Adalind started to scan the bodies. Looking for something familiar, a shirt, hair color, anything that would indicate that Nick was among the dead. Her eyes landed on a familiar figure but didn't have time to linger.

"Adalind!" The voice was frantic and slightly out of breath but she would recognize it anywhere. The door to the tunnel slammed against the wall and for the first she realized it had been partially open. His face followed the sound and Adalind was sure her knees would give out. They wobbled, but she managed to stay upright.

"Oh my god, Nick." Instinctively she kissed Kelly's forehead, more grateful than she's ever felt in her life.

"Adalind." He looked battered and bruised and immediately there was the notable stain of blood on the front of his shirt as his entire body emerged from the wall. His eyes were wide with surprise and relief and so many other things that Adalind's brain didn't care to name. Nick was alive. That's all that mattered.

"Are you okay?" Brows furrowed at the thought that he might be hurt in anyway. Her eyes focused on the dark stain on his front shirt as he stepped over dead bodies to get to them.

"Adalind. Kelly." He was almost there. Nick moved with a purpose as he navigated the fallen Black Claw members. She watched for any signs that he was hurt, that he was in pain and was rewarded when she found none. He moved so fast that it was a surprise when he stood in front of them.

The moment was heavy with disbelief and guilt and regret. Nothing about their relationship had been easy. Wesen and Grimms were not meant to be friends, let alone in a relationship and raising a family. It was against everything that came naturally to them.

Nick reached out his hand with a delicacy that betrayed the brutality around them. There was a feathery tough against her cheek and a moment of absolute certainty that she was real, that she was standing in front of him and not just conjured up by his grief. His hand remained against the cheek as he leaned his forehead against Kelly's and breathed him in.

Kelly wiggled and leaned into his dad, anxious to be held and cuddled against him. Nick obliged. He pulled Kelly to his body and Adalind let go of her son for the first time since she went with Black Claw.

"Kelly. Kelly. I missed you so much buddy." Nick held Kelly tight without protest from his son. They missed each other and Adalind couldn't help feeling guilty about the decision she had made. He swayed with Kelly in his arms, eyes locked on to Adalind with fear that she might disappear again. "Are you okay?"

It was impossible to answer around the lump in her throat so she nodded. The contact held as she willed him to hold her too. To love her despite the mistakes and understand that she was just doing what was best for her children.

Nick's hand went back to her cheek and he wiped at the wetness that was slowly being absorbed into her skin. Without saying a word, he leaned forward and placed a light kiss against her lips, giving her permission to expel the breath that she had been holding. "I'm so sorry Nick. I love you and I am … I didn't want … I tried to …"

"It's okay." And he kissed her lips again. As he touched his forehead to her own and continued to glide his thumb across her cheek, Adalind felt Diana's grip tighten on her hand.

"Nick."

"Hmm"

"There is someone I'd like you to meet." He raised his head from hers and looked down at the little girl standing protectively beside her.

"This is Diana."

To be continued. Maybe? :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed or favored this story. It meant so much and motivated me to keep going. Since you guys are doing such a good job of reading and reviewing, I encourage you to keep up the good work :)))**

Nick's hand went back to her cheek and he wiped at the wetness that was slowly being absorbed into her skin. Without saying a word, he leaned forward and placed a light kiss against her lips, giving her permission to expel the breath that she had been holding. "I'm so sorry Nick. I love you and I am … I didn't want … I tried to …"

"It's okay." And he kissed her lips again. As he touched his forehead to her own and continued to glide his thumb across her cheek, Adalind felt Diana's grip tighten on her hand.

"Nick."

"Hmm"

"There is someone I'd like you to meet." He raised his head from hers and looked down at the little girl standing protectively beside her.

"This is Diana."

"Hi Diana." His voice was soft and inviting in a way that Adalind was very familiar with. It was a voice that made you want to trust him; even when you believed him to be the enemy.

Diana looked at the man her mother was so desperate to get to and failed to produce a smile like a normal child might. Adalind looked at the two and knew she would have to talk with Diana about what Nick meant to her. Diana wanted to see her parents together, but Adalind could not give her that, not anymore. She had to get far away from Sean and anything Black Claw related. It was the only way to protect her family.

Nick looked at the little girl who looked so much like her mother. There were so many questions in his head but it wasn't the time for that. Adalind was here and He was holding Kelly. Everything else could wait.

Nick looked up at Adalind again and he saw the worry in her eyes. She wrestled with accepting his forgiveness. But he wasn't angry at her, Renard and Black Claw had used her children against her and he couldn't be angry with her for falling for it. He would do anything for Kelly. He would do anything to protect his family.

He thought he had lost them forever. When that bullet pierced his chest all he could think about was Kelly; he wouldn't get to hold his son one last time. He wouldn't get to kiss his cheeks, rock him in his arms and tell him he loved him. He thought about Adalind too. Their relationship, despite the highs and lows (let's face it, they had more lows than highs), was starting to bloom into…he wasn't sure what, but it was getting somewhere. Their history didn't make things easy between them.

He couldn't help missing her as he raged with anger over Kelly being taken away from him. It's like his entire being was on fire every time he thought about how they had taken his family from him. Yet, even in that dark place where he hated Renard and Black Claw, he still loved Adalind. Was it even love? He loved Kelly, without a doubt. Adalind was Kelly's mother. The hexenbeast that tried to kill him.

And other members of his family.

And ruin his life.

He loved her, with no knowledge of when that happened. Everything was fucked up.

Kelly locked his toothless mouth unto Nick's jaw line; the action anchored Nick and he was reminded of where they were and the gruesome scene that provided the backdrop to their reunion. He pulled his jaw away from the sloppy kiss and returned the favor against his son's neck. The result was a sharp giggle that pierced the doom and caused Nick and Adalind to smile for the first time in forever.

"Nick, is everything okay?" The words belonged to Trubel and they both turned in that direction as she emerged from the tunnel.

"Yeah, everything is fine." It was, wasn't it? He had Kelly back in his arms and Adalind standing by his side.

"Adalind." There was obvious surprise when she locked eyes on the newcomer. But she didn't have time to give her greetings before she turned to give Eve a hand. The woman was unsteady on her feet and rested heavily against Trubel as they made their way across the room.

Trubel navigated them through the sea of bodies and looked at Nick in amazement that he had taken all those guys out. She stopped when they got to Conrad. Both women looked down at the man that Eve had fallen victim to, despite being a powerful Hexenbiest. Nick had already given them the rundown of what took place, but they finally saw the evidence for themselves. Conrad was dead. Black Claw's illusive leader was no more. Someone would step up to the plate, or it could be the end of the Wesen group willing to take out anyone opposed to their cause. Now was the time to act, before they had the chance to regroup.

"Seriously, I was skeptical about making it out of this; but, man I'm so happy that we did." Monroe's voice preceded his body. "Nick, I have no idea how you did it, but I'm happy you did." He turned around to help Rosalee out of the hole. After they were both upright, Monroe taking great care to ensure that Rosalee was ok, he turned and looked in the direction where Rosalee's attention was already focused.

"Adalind." They practically whispered in unison.

Rosalee was the first to move towards the reunited family. Nicked stepped aside to allow access. The two women embraced in a slightly awkward manner because there was a little girl holding tight unto Adalind's arm and looking rather concerned.

"Is that Diana?" Monroe's question was shared by almost all occupants of the room. The little girl with striking features could not go unnoticed.

Adalind detangled herself from Rosalee's arms, grateful for the support that they always offered, even when she didn't deserve it. Rosalee had been there for Adalind since the day she showed up at the police station and announced her pregnancy. Adalind always attributed that to Rosalee's respect and love for Nick. Also, it wasn't hard to accept a friendship that came with no strings attached. Adalind looked around the room, despite the chaos, she couldn't help feeling safe in the knowledge that this group of people would not let anything happen to her or her children. Eve maybe a slight exception to that belief, no matter how much psychological conditioning she had gone through, Eve still loved Nick.

"Mommy can we go now?" The question brought everyone back to reality.

Nick, who had been caught up in bonding with his son, turned to face his friends and couldn't help feeling sorry for what he was putting them through. He needed to figure out the next move before anyone else turned up looking for him.

"Not yet Diana." Adalind knelt down and took her daughter's hands in hers. "Diana, I need you to be a big girl today okay. We're not going back with Sean … your dad … we have to stay with Nick. It's the only way to keep you and Kelly safe." There was obvious displeasure in Adalind's words and her eyes started to glow in evidence of her agitation. "Diana, listen to me." The lights flickered in the room and everyone froze in anticipation of what would follow. "Diana, we can't let anyone hurt us. Remember the bad man?" Diana nodded and they both glanced towards the same spot, where Conrad's body laid amongst the fallen. "Well there are others like him. They want to hurt us. So we can't go back."

"Won't daddy be mad?" Adalind was sure Sean would be upset but his feelings were the last thing that she cared about.

"Daddy will understand." Adalind left it at that and everything was calm again in a room littered with dead bodies.

Nick watched the exchange between Adalind and her daughter with great concern and a realization that what Adalind said was true. There was no going back. Conrad may be dead, but this war was far from over and Nick had no idea what role Renard was going to play in that. The man killed Conrad. To save Nick? Why would he do that? What was his agenda? Nick couldn't help thinking that Renard wanted control of everything, which made him dangerous. Yet, there was something odd about the way things happened. Renard looked surprised by what he had done. The man stood there looking at the sword in his hand as if he didn't recognize it or how it got there. Then he was gone before Nick could even wrap his head around what happened.

"Nick, we need to figure out our next move." Trubel's words echoed his thoughts and he wasn't sure how she would feel about what he was thinking.

Nicked looked at all the faces of the people waiting for him to give a reply to Trubel's words. He lingered on Eve… no… Juliette, who was still relying on Trubel for support. He'd seen Juliette in her eyes before everyone went into the tunnels, but he had no idea what the implications of that would be. He moved on to Trubel and felt overwhelmed by the absolute faith that she had in him. He wasn't sure if he deserved it. He had no grand plan to share with her. No idea what the next move should be. He just knew he needed to make sure everyone was safe. What form that would take remained a mystery.

Monroe was standing beside Rosalee, one arm around her shoulder and her arm securely resting on his. Nick could express how grateful he was to have them in his life. Somehow, after discovering he was a Grimm, he had taken a Blutbad as a best friend. Monroe and Rosalee had stepped in countless times to help him out. He couldn't thank them enough and Nick wasn't sure what life would look like without these people.

He had to leave Portland.

Nick turned to Adalind. "Pack what you can for you and Kelly."

Adalind nodded with understanding as they looked at each other. She knew this was the right thing to do. It was the only thing to do if they wanted to keep their family safe.

"I'll help you." Rosalee offered and Nick thanked her with a grateful nod.

Nick handed Kelly over to his mother and everyone stood by quietly as Adalind and Rosalee made their way across the room with Diana. The apartment was a mess, but the bedroom was still intact, for the most part.

"Nick what are you doing?" Trubel looked uncomfortable, maybe even disappointed. In her eyes he was running away, but if playing the coward saved his family, then he was okay with that role. Eliminating Black Claw for good was not worth his son's life or the life of the people he cared about. This was a good time to take a step back and figure things out.

He wasn't a cop anymore. Assaulting the outgoing police captain and new Mayor of Portland saw to that. He would probably be wanted for that crime since he technically escaped from police custody. Renard could use all of that against him.

Their safe house was compromised. They couldn't stay with Monroe and Rosalee without putting them at further risk. Hadrian's Wall was gone. They were exposed and on their own. The cop in him told him it was best to wait. To lay low and bide his time… for now.

"We're leaving. We can't stay in Portland."

"Are you kidding me? Nick, we have to go after these guys. They killed Meisner." Nick understood her desire for revenge, but that would only get everyone killed. "If we move now maybe we could end these guys once and for all."

"I can't, not now." There was too much he could lose.

"Are you kidding me?" Juliette redistributed her weight to the counter top, which gave Trubel the freedom to move towards Nick. She had to convince Nick that now was the time. Those people killed Meisner. Meisner had been good to her. He had given her a purpose and helped her accept her role in the keeping the balance between humans and wesen.

Bouncing from foster home to foster home you eventually learn to never get attached. No matter how nice the mom was, or how good they treated you, the anvil would drop eventually and you would be starting all over somewhere else. Hadrian's Wall had been her home. Black Claw took that away from her.

While Nick prepared to address Turbel's concerns, Adalind was removing clothes from their drawers and trying not to become wrapped up in the nostalgia of it all. "It's hard to believe that he can't fit into this anymore." Adalind rubbed her hand across the soft blue onesie and felt concerned about tomorrow. Kids needed stability, a place that they could grow in with memories of how things looked different when they were smaller. She wanted the wall that marked her children's height as they grew older and she wanted to have time to reminisce about how much they had changed.

Adalind placed another round of clothing into the bag that she had removed from beneath the bed. Kelly reached from Rosalee's lap to get to her, but she simply caressed his cheek before going for another set of clothing and soft toys that Kelly liked to play with.

Rosalee watched Adalind's progress, noting the way she lingered over certain pieces of clothing or a toy. If the circumstances were different, maybe Adalind would have been handing over those items to her, for the baby she was going to have. She wanted to tell her friend, but now wasn't the time. It hadn't been the perfect time to tell Monroe either, telling your husband you are pregnant while you are running for your lives was not her original plan, but it had been right. Rosalee couldn't help smiling at the realization that she was going to be a mother. One day she will be caressing old clothing with a look of wistfulness at the thought that her son or daughter was growing up.

Rosalee was probably only a few weeks along but already she could imagine how Adalind felt at loosing Diana. The said little girl sat quietly beside her on the bed and Rosalee couldn't help wondering what was going through her mind. She was much older than she should have been and that fact caused Rosalee to take repeated glances.

"I should pack for Nick too. Right? I mean he is going to need clothes as well. I won't have anything for Diana but we can buy what we need along the way don't you think?"

"Adalind." She stopped at the sound of her name and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I'm just …"

"Scared?" So was Rosalee. But she was hopeful. There was no way she and Monroe were going to raise a child in a world ruled by Black Claw, so there had to be hope.

"Yeah. I don't know where we are going, but I know it's the best thing to do. I trust Nick. I love Nick and Kelly and Diana. I don't want to lose any of them."

"You won't."

"I don't want to lose you either. You have been so amazing, despite everything that I did."

"You won't lose me. Monroe and I will be here when you guys get back from your trip." Both women smiled.

"Do you know what happened here? I know I messed up by telling Conrad about this place." The guilt weighed heavy on Adalind as she looked at her friend. "Please know that I didn't have a choice. I never wanted to put Nick in danger.

Rosalee had seen how much Adalind had changed and how much she loved Nick and Kelly. Rosalee also saw the marks around Adalind's neck when she leaned forward to place the items in the bag. There was no doubt that things had not been easy for her Hexenbiest friend.

Rosalee explained the details provided to them by Nick and Nick tried to convince Trubel that leaving was the best option. There was too much information to process and they needed to figure out the best approach before making a move. If they went after the remaining Black Claw without all the facts, it would be bad for everyone. Also, Eve … Juliette… needed time to recovery. They all did.

"Trubel we can't stay in Portland. You are more than welcome to come with us."

"Nick, there …" Trubel was angry that Nick was willing to let Black Claw get away.

"Nick is right. We have to step back figure this out. We don't know what their next move if. Nick, you need to get your family out of here before Renard decided he would prefer you dead." Monroe understood his friend's reasoning and thought Nick was doing the right thing. What Trubel was asking could get them all killed. Monroe had too much to live for to jump head first into a war without any idea of what the enemy had up their sleeve. Nick should do what is best for him and Adalind and Kelly and He figured Diana was now added to that mix.

"What about Eve?" All eyes turned to the woman who was still clearly weak and in need of rest. Nick had used the stick he found in the black forest to heal her wounds, but it was obvious it had done a lot more than simply heal flesh and bone. The wound was gone from her stomach yet she remained weak. When it healed Nick earlier, after being shot in the chest, he felt nothing but the shock of being alive and he felt strong. Why did it have a lingering effect on Eve?

"You need to get out of Portland as fast as you can. Eve can stay with me and Rosalee until she recovers. I'll keep my ears and eyes open to what these guys are planning next." Nick gave him a look and he dismissed it with a shake of his head. "Rosalee and I will be fine. You and Adalind and the kids are the targets, not us." Monroe would tear anyone from limb to limb that tried to hurt Rosalee and their baby. Black Claw didn't know that he had the Grimm books. They would think Nick fled with everything they wanted; the books, Adalind and the kids. Still, they would have to be careful but Monroe was confident they could handle it.

"Monroe is right. I don't know what Renard's agenda is. He saved my life, but we don't know why he did that." Whatever the reason, Nick was grateful. If Renard hadn't done what he did, then Nick never would have held Kelly again and he wouldn't have the chance to leave Portland behind to protect his family.

"Renard didn't save your life. Diana did. Adalind will explain everything but right now we need to get out of this place." Rosalee walked over to the group, still holding Kelly in her arms. The little guy squirmed and was rewarded when Nick reached for him.

Adalind emerged from their bedroom, dragging a bag behind her and with Diana attached to her arm. "We're ready."

"What about the bodies?" It was the first time Eve/Juliette had spoken since emerging from the tunnel.

Nick paused in his movement. "Leave them. Black Claw can clean up their own mess."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews and likes and follows. I'm sorry this update took so long; life gets crazy at times.**

 **Please keep the reviews coming, they are my life blood and push me to keep going :))) + I enjoy hearing what you guys think and if I should continue.**

He had no idea where they were exactly but he was sure they had gone about a mile through the tunnel before finding an exit. They were surrounded by industrial type buildings that looked somewhat familiar, which meant that they were still in the vicinity of Nick's apartment. Despite being out of the claustrophobic nightmare that was the tunnel and being out in the fresh air, there was no relief. They were out, but what about the others. Should they turn back now? Could they even find their way back after the many turns and guess work that went into their current location.

His phone buzzed the second they got free. Wu's phone did the same thing. Neither hesitated to check the messages.

 _Where are you guys? Black claw is taken care of. We are all at the apartment._

 _Head back_

 _I don't know how but Nick managed to get us out of this one. We are all good. Black claw, not so much_

 _Everyone is okay_

How far did you guys go?

They both looked up from their phones and stared at each other in disbelief. Wondering if the messages where true and everything was indeed okay. They had made out of a few serious scrapes before and neither was afraid to admit that they had been skeptical about this one.

"Looks like everything worked out." There was a hint of relief in Hank's voice.

"Yeah. Can't wait to hear that story." Wu started to reply to the message but realized he wasn't sure how to get back to the apartment.

"GPS?" Hank read his mind and did not hesitate to input Nick's address into his cellphone's GPS.

"So you really think everything is ok?" Wu asked

"It better be. Let's go."

Moment's like those made Hank wonder about the benefit of knowing there are different types of creatures out there besides the usual discover channel variety. Before partnering with Nick he was perfectly satisfied with the life he was living and the working cases, that at times seemed strange, were a normal part of crime in Portland. He wasn't missing anything; it did not seem like there was some big secret waiting to be uncovered.

Nick being a Grimm changed everything, for both of them. Since finding out about Wesen and Grimms, Hank may have envied Nick a time or two, but not lately. No, he definitely would not want that life for himself. The more he thought about it the more he realized just how good he had it before knowing.

"What do you think Nick is going to do now?" Wu's question interrupts Hank's thoughts.

"I have no idea, but he can't keep going like this. What ever happened tonight is not the end of it. Those guys are going to keep coming." To end a war someone had to be defeated; wave a white flag or a truce had to be agreed on. Hank didn't think Nick would be willing to put up a white flag and there was no making a truce with the people that stole you kid.

"You're right; I was thinking the same thing, especially now that the Captain is the new Major of Portland."

Hank didn't even want to think about what they would mean for all of him. Would he still have a job? Would Wu? Renard knew they were loyal to Nick and that could be dangerous for both of them; it already was. They sent Zoe to seduce him and use him to get to Nick, planted dead bodies in his house to frame him for murder. There was no predicting what would happen next.

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The kids were safely in the backseat of Nick's jeep. Diana wasn't too happy about the arrangements but she was going along with everything for now. Adalind glanced at her from time to time, very aware of what her daughter was capable of and dreading the possibility that she could hurt any of these people. For now she seemed to understand why mommy could not take her back to daddy's house but there was no telling how long her understanding would last.

Adalind to feel Nick beside her as he checked to make sure the kids were safely in the backseat. His hand found its way to the small of her back as she stepped aside for him to close the door. It was a gesture of support and intimacy and just what Adalind needed to keep her knees from wobbling any harder.

Nick made tiny circles with the hand gently resting against Adalind's back. She looked exhausted and he could not help feeling concerned that it was all too much for both of them, not to mention the two little people sitting comfortably in the back seat of the car. They were counting on Nick and Adalind to make everything okay. Adalind reached out and grabbed the tail end of his jacket when his hand slowly slipped away from her.

Nick faced the people standing in front of him, looking to him like he was the leader of their little group when he was just as lost and confused as they were. He didn't ask to be a Grimm and there were days when he really wanted that not to be true. Kelly deserved a normal life, they all did. Nick looked at each of their faces, the myriad of emotions making him question his decision and wonder just how different their lives might be without him in it.

"Any idea where you are headed?"

He wanted to tell her, but it was best to stay quiet. Trubel would be okay. She knew how to survive and she had Juliette or Eve, or whoever she was now. They had each other. "No, north maybe. We'll figure it out." He feels Adalind beside him and that 'we' sounds laden with commitment and the realization that he would have to be a team with Adalind. An outcome that was probably comical to everyone that knew them.

It was better if no one knew where they were going. Renard would be looking for them and that also meant Black Claw would be too; if there was even a Black Claw without Conrad. But organizations like that do not killed off so easily. Another leader always pops up and the sick agenda of world dominance always continues.

"I need everyone to be careful. We can't let our guard down and we're not giving up either." He looked directly at Trubel when he said those words.

"Nick you need to leave now." There was so much concern in Rosalie's voice.

"Thank you, you and Monroe, its means a lot."

"No problem. Just promise you will call us when you get settled." Monroe had become a rock in his life. The person he could always count on, no matter the situation and even sometimes when it cost him more than he intended to give.

"Is someone going somewhere?" Hank and Wu emerged out of the shadows. Wu putting his phone away as they moved closer to the group. "Nick, good to see you alive." The partners shared a nod and a smile.

"Nick is leaving Portland, going into hiding." Trubel was desperate to gain any support for her view point.

"Just for awhile." Nick sent a stern look Trubel's way. "I need to figure a way around all this and I need time to do that." Nick looked at his friend and partner and hoped he understood. He didn't want them to feel like he was abandoning them, this was just something he had to do.

"Makes sense. Adalind good to see you." Wu tipped his head towards the woman standing beside Nick, still slightly holding on to the tail of his jacket.

They all talk for a while, coming up with a plan for lying low while gathering any information they could about the new Black Claw regime. None of them would be close to Renard anymore. He would be above them over in the Mayor's office; almost unreachable, which placed them at a disadvantage.

Nick was concerned about what awaited his friends. There was no telling what the police station would be like now that Renard was major and Black Claw was taking over; they weren't sure how safe it would be for Hank and Wu. They two weren't too concerned about that. They could handle themselves. There was no doubt of that, but still the worry and sense of unease lingered at the thought that he would not be around to help them.

They were leaving Portland, but it didn't mean he could not be back on a moment's notice. Leaving didn't mean far way. Nick kept that thought to himself. With some things figured out and a promise to notify Monroe and Rosalie when they settled, Nick and Adalind and the kids were on their way.

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She rested heavily against the back of the seat; checking periodically for the closed eyes and the sound of quiet breathing in the back of the jeep. She turned her eyes to Nick's profile. Light and shadow danced across his cheek as they progressed through light traffic to reach the city limits. They were moving towards so much uncertainty that it scared her. She could remember feeling this scared when she was pregnant with Kelly and Diana; the thought that there were forces beyond her control that could hurt them. With Diana it was the royals and with Kelly it was Juliette.

Nick had been great through all of it. Even though some anger remained towards him for playing a part in Diana being taken away from her, in that moment, riding in a car on the way to god knows where, she was hit with the realization that he only tried to do the right thing. He tried to do the right thing for Diana and Kelly, protecting them from the people who would harm them. And he was doing again.

Nick felt her gaze on him and glanced her way for a second before returning his eyes to the road. "Are you okay?" Nick reached over and took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. Adalind nodded yes before mouthing the words and allowing herself to actually believe it.

"Nick, we need to talk about…" He cuts her off before she had the chance to finish the sentence.

"Not right now." Nick glanced her way another time, just for a second before putting his eyes back on the road and making note of the signs indicating that they were definitely outside of Portland. Right then all he wanted to focus on was getting them to a safe place. Acknowledging the fear and hurt when Adalind left with Kelly would have to come later. Seeing her on the television with his son, standing beside a man who was once an ally and now an enemy, made him feel things he never thought he was capable of. Nick didn't like that person; the side of him that made him capable of murder, and not just in self-defense.

Adalind understood why he wanted to wait. In truth the conversation scared her more than she wanted to admit and she hated to think about the pain she had caused Nick. She slanted her body in the seat slowly relaxed with the knowledge that Nick was by her side. He was holding her hand. Nick was hers again. Adalind didn't ask where they were going, surprised by the fact that she trusted Nick enough not to care.

At some point she must have fallen asleep because she awoke to the light touch of Nick's hand against her cheek. "Hey, we'll stay here for tonight."

Nick returned to his side of the truck and unblocked his seat belt. He looked back at the kids and noted that Kelly was still sleeping and so was Diana. Both looked so peaceful that he almost forgot one was a powerful Hexenbiest.

"Where are we?" Adalind stretched as she removed the seatbelt.

"About three hours outside Portland." Nick stated before opening his door and exiting the vehicle. Adalind watched from her seat as he walked through the beams of light from the headlamps. The beams illuminated the dark red stains on his clothes and made her wonder just how close she had come to losing him.

They gently carried the children inside the room at the motel. It wasn't anything fancy, certainly better than what Renard could provide, but it would suffice for now until Nick could make a few phone calls. He had a friend who owned a cabin not far from here. Nick had spent time there in college during holiday breaks since his aunt was often on some secret adventure that left him wondering what to do with himself. They'd kept in touch over the years and Nick hoped his old college friend would be willing to put up with him again.

"Mommy." Adalind placed Diana on the king size bed.

"Shhh, its ok. Go back to sleep honey." Like a good little girl, Diana obeyed her mother.

A sleeping Kelly joined his sister as Nick laid him towards the center, figuring that Adalind could take the spot beside him to ensure that he didn't fall off at any time. "You should get some sleep." Adalind looked at him with tired eyes filled with a resolve that reminded him of when they were enemies. She was always so determined, no matter the task. "I know you are tired. I'll keep watch tonight."

"Nick." They both came around the sides of the large bed and found themselves in the middle of the room as their children slept peacefully. "You need to sleep too." Both hands curled over the front of his jacket before her head made its way to his chest and he wrapped his arms around her back.

"I'm fine." He sounded almost believable. He would not be able to sleep; not with the adrenaline from the day still pumping through his veins. There was no way he would sleep knowing that Black Claw was still out there and possibility already on the mission to find him and Adalind and the kids. Renard painted a very rosy picture for the people of Portland; parading Adalind and Kelly like they were his. He would want to keep that image going.

"No you're not, but we can pretend for now." Nick kissed the top of Adalind's head and pulled her even closer.

When Renard killed Conrad, Nick thought for a second he was getting a glimpse of his old ally; but, according to Rosalie, Renard hadn't saved him. Diana had. He whispered his question into Adalind's ear and she raised her head from his chest to look at him. There was something there that he could not read, almost protective; he'd seen that look before when she came to the station pregnant with Kelly.

"Diana was protecting me." Adalind tilted her head backwards and revealed red marks running along her neck. Nik felt it then. The thing he didn't want to feel. The sense that he could kill with no remorse for his actions. They'd hurt Adalind. "She used a doll to control Sean, made him do what she wanted. And she wanted to hurt Conrad for hurting me." The words were slightly above a whisper but he heard them.

Nick gently touched the red mark, then leaned forward and found himself placing a small kiss where his hand had been. He pulled her to him once more, feeling grateful that she was okay and Kelly was okay.

Adalind wrapped her arms tight around his neck as she recalled the feeling of Conrad's hand around her throat. She didn't want his blood on the hands of her little girl but she couldn't help feeling relieved that he was gone. Everything felt suddenly heavy and Adalind was glad for Nick's arms holding her up.

"I love you."

There was a pause as Nick thought about that declaration. She'd told him before. She said those words to him before he left for the quest to the black forest; which reminded him of the ever present stick in his jacket pocket. Another mystery to figure out later.

Nick paused, but he was confident in his next words. "I love you too."

"We're going to be okay, right?"

"Yeah, we'll be okay." It was the only option.


	4. Chapter 4

**My apologies for taking so long with this chapter. Thanks again for reading and commenting. I really appreciated all the wonder comments, please keep them coming.**

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It wasn't so bad. The house was actually nice and they didn't have to worry about neighbors since the closest one was about a mile away. It was quiet too, giving the sense that everything was good and right with the world. Nick's friend was cool with them staying at the house. He hardly used it anymore on the count of him getting a job on the other side of the country. But he kept it because it belonged to his grandparents and carried memories he was unwilling to let go of. Nick was grateful.

A trip to the nearest Walmart got them everything they needed. It was better than shopping at the smaller stores closer to the house; no one would pay attention to a family of four moving through the aisles of a busy shopping center. It wasn't convenient but it was safe and would keep them off the radar.

Nick checked in with Monroe and Hank the following day, providing confirmation that he and Adalind and the kids were safe. His friends were in the process of going back to normal, well as normal as their lives could be. Things were changing for everyone but Nick didn't have time to dwell on that just yet.

The first few days in the house went by slowly. Nick spent the days ensuring that the house was safe. Reinforcing locks and blocking glass windows that were way too easy to get to. The house was surrounded by a copse of trees before turning into a more wooded area; he surveyed everything, figuring out an escape root should it come to that. There was little chance of Black Claw being able to find them but he didn't want to be too confident. No one knew where they were, including his friends. For the time being they seemed to be ok.

While Nick planned and ensured their safety, Adalind was busy getting the kids adjusted to their new environment. Kelly loved it; he had the space to crawl around, having discovered that his hands and knees would take him a lot further than his stomach. He cooed and giggled and made attempts to speak that allowed both Nick and Adalind to forget they circumstances for a while. None of it mattered to Kelly. He was a happy little boy, satisfied by the simple fact that he had both his parents' attention when he wanted it.

Diana was restless. Something she had in common with Nick. They both watched, ready for something profound to happen but each new day passed and nothing did.

Adalind, on the other hand, was okay with being ok. Fighting for her life wasn't new to her and she was happy having both her children beside her and out of the hands of people that were up to no good. It was still shocking how much she had changed in the last two years. She saw how easy it would have been to go along with Black Claw, how beneficial it might have been and two years ago she would have jumped at the chance. Secret societies and Hexenbiests have a tendency to go hand in hand. She even remembered her mother telling her stories about their family being involved in a similar group like Black Claw; their desire for power and subsequent battle with the Grimms lead to destruction and the birth of the Dark Ages. A fact the history books got unequivocally wrong.

Adalind liked the house. It was the type of place that made for a good setting in a story book. It was slightly old fashioned but she could tell it was built with love and care. Nick had to turn everything on when they got there, the water pump and breakers; everything to turn the walls into a living breathing thing. He was focused on their safety, which she was grateful for, but she had to get rid of the layer of durst to make the place habitable for them.

Adalind didn't consider herself a homemaker, but she knew what they needed to make this place work. Diana even helped, somewhat reluctantly but she did and Adalind was pleased by how normal their life seemed in those moments; up until Diana used her powers and accomplished what was taking Adalind a lot longer to do. In truth, Adalind forgot about her powers, forgot that she was a Hexenbiest again. She'd become so use to not relaying on her abilities that her normal had changed and she found herself being amazed by what her daughter could do. They shared a laugh in those moments but Diana would go back to brooding and worrying.

Nick was the same. He smiled, played and laughed when he was with Kelly but there was a constant undercurrent of worry that was understandable given their current situation. The first week passed pretty much like that; Nick checking everything around them and Adalind doing everything to make their life seem ok.

"Nick, everything is fine." Adalind could feel his restless movements despite a sleeping Kelly between them.

"I can't sleep." It's been that way throughout the week. "I'm going to check everything one last time." Through the dark he could see Adalind's furrowed brow and the sigh leaving her lips. "I'll be right back." He leaned over and placed a kiss against Kelly's head before slowly exiting the bed. With everything that happened he felt the need to keep his son close to him, so Kelly had taken to sleeping in between his parents. It made Nick feel better.

He was careful as he moved from their bedroom and through the hallway. Slowly moving past the room where Diana stayed before entering the main area of the house. All was quiet, just like the other nights since they had moved into the house. Nick moved to the windows, checking to ensure that they were intact and remained reinforced. Once he was satisfied he moved on to the door that lead to the back yard. That was fully secured as well. But he was not about to let his guard down. The front door was last and he moved through the dark towards it.

Six days of making his rounds had taught him where everything was placed inside the home. He knew to make a right when he got near the couch because there was an end table on the left. He knew how many steps from the back door to the front door and he knew to avoid the edge of the kitchen counter as he went by. Six days of keeping watch and ensuring that the people he loved most in this world remained safe as they slept in their beds.

He'd been thinking about his ancestors a lot since going into exile. For centuries Grimms had watched and protected, sometimes at the cost of their loved ones and their own lives. His mother pretended to be dead for years and his aunt Marie had more battle wounds than Nick had been willing to acknowledge. In that six days that passed, he started to wonder if any of it was worth it. Maybe he should cut his losses and go a lot further away than a few hours outside of Portland. The Caribbean would be nice; warm weather, sun always shinning, cool ocean breeze, a place where he could relax and not have to worry about the shadows. Adalind would look damn sexy in a bikini, something with very little fabric and held together with only a few strings. He could hold her close as they lazily rocked to the breeze in a hammock that they shared beneath a shaded tree. Their life would be uncomplicated.

But for the time being, they were in his friend's house in the middle of the woods, trying to be the best parents they could possibly be. Nick was use to being on his own, even when he was with Juliette there wasn't this overwhelming need to take care of someone else. At times he did things without thought of how they would impact her. That was unfair of him but it's the truth. Things had changed. There was Kelly. Nick still wasn't sure how things stood with Adalind. They were surviving and working together well but they still had a lot to get pass. Kelly was his number priority.

He was still trying to figure things out with Diana.

As if conjured by his thoughts, Nick reached for the gun at his waist when she was suddenly standing in front of him. He quickly allowed his heart beat to slow and released his hold on the weapon. She was a cute kid but mysterious enough to be on the creepy side at times. "Diana what are you doing?" He asked the question as he took two slow steps in her direction.

"There are no bad guys out there." She said it in a matter of fact way that left Nick wondering. "I checked." He was about to ask her if she went outside, but then he remembered her appearing in the loft to warn him about Black Claw. Nick had no idea all the things she could do and neither did Adalind.

"It's okay. You should go back to bed." It was his job to keep them safe.

"Do you think the bad guys will find us? Mommy said we have to stay here so they don't." She looked innocent in her PJs and too much like a younger version of her mother.

"Mommy is right, but I'll handle them if they do." Adalind told him what Diana had done to Rachel and Nick saw firsthand what she did to Conrad. He recognized the slight look of worry that comes across her features and he is reminded of just how much of a child she is. She looks older but Diana is only a year older than Kelly.

"Will you keep mommy and Kelly safe from the bad guy?" Kids shouldn't have to worry about safety.

Nick slowly moved closer and knelt to her height. Her eyes never leave him and even in the dark he can bet he sees everything. "I won't let anyone hurt your mommy, or Kelly or you. I promise." That would be the moment where he would reach out and lightly pat her head to reassure her; but he hesitated because he wasn't sure how she would receive that from him.

"I liked your mommy."

Nick's heart stopped for a second as he realized who she was referring to. His mother gave her life trying to protect Diana.

"She was nice."

After years of thinking she was dead and then finally having her again, Nick had lost her once more. Because she made the decision to protect this little girl from the evil people who would seek to use her.

"She said that she loved you but had to leave you behind to protect you. Just like my mommy."

Unintentionally, it seemed the task had been passed on to him.

"I didn't know they would hurt her." For the first time, Diana looked like the little girl she was supposed to be. "I didn't know they were bad. They said they would take me to my mommy and daddy. They said she would be fine without me, that she wanted me to be with my real parents. They said …" The sniffles followed and Nick found himself pulling a crying Diana into his arms.

It was awkward at first, but gradually they both eased into the embrace. There was a sudden flickering of lights that had been turned off hours prior, but Nick knew it was because of Diana. The little girl in his arms was simply being a little girl with very little control over her emotions.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No I'm not mad. It's not your fault okay." His voice was soothing as he made small circles on her back, trying to comfort her the way he would Kelly. She nodded against his shoulder as she tightened her hold on his neck. He had to admit that he wasn't completely comfortable with her hands so close to his throat, but he tried to focus on the child and not the powerful Hexenbeast within.

His mother knew exactly what she was getting herself into when she took Diana. She knew the risks. It wasn't Diana's fault. It could all the laid at the feet on Black Claw. They organization that Diana's father and his former chief, was probably now the head of. He couldn't hold that against Diana either. She didn't chose to be who she was, no more than he chose to be born into a family of Grimms.

"We should probably get you to bed." He tried to loosen the hold but she wouldn't budge, so when Nick got back up on his feet, she was still attached to him. "Do you want to stay with me and your mom tonight?" Another nod followed his question.

His check of their temporary home was complete for the night so Nick walked with Adalind's daughter into the room they shared. Adalind was laying her on her side with Kelly tucked close to her body. Her head lifted off the pillow as he got closer and he watched as she became more awake when she noticed Diana. "She is going to stay with us tonight". Adalind responded with a nod and made room for her little girl.

Diana easily left his arms and joined her mother. Nick reclaimed his spot and this time he holds Kelly close to allow Diana the opportunity to cuddle up with her mother. Adalind's eyes met Nick's in the dark and he silently promised to answer her questions tomorrow.

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"Are you seeing what I'm seeing" Hank asked Wu who was standing beside him watching the procession of new offers that were joining their unit. Wu nodded in response to Hanks' question and registered the same level of dread that his friend did. "We're certainly not in Kansas anymore."

Things were changing since Nick attacked their Captain (now major of Portland) in his office for all to see. A warrant remained for Nick's arrest. Hank had been surprised there wasn't one for him too or Wu for that matter, but apparently Black Claw had failed to fill out the paper work end of their misdealing, so for now they were still cops.

They had been trying to keep a handle on everything that was taking place. For one thing, Nick had been right about Black Claw cleaning up their mess. All the bodies left behind at Nick's place and the precinct had disappeared; even the ones at Hadrian's Wall were missing. It was creepy how they made it seem like none of it happened. Not having his partner beside him was the constant reminder that it had all been real. Nick was in hiding and Renard was knee deep in Black Claw.

There were questions from the other cops, whispered words about the captain and Nick. What could have set him off? Where was he hiding? Questions Wu and Hank deflected by turning the conversation back to work. That was the one piece of evidence that Black Claw could not ignore; everyone saw Nick and the Captain go at it. They suspected Nick must have had a good reason for his actions, having worked with the guy for years and knowing that he was a damn good cop. Some joked that he was probably in Mexico by now; living it up in the sun with some hot babe.

Wu and Hank continued to watch the new comers as they spread out across the precinct, introducing themselves to the veteran staff as they go. When they got to Hank and Wu the thickened air and pointed stares were hard to ignore but the officers were nothing but polite to each other.

"Looking forward to working with you gentlemen, we've heard nothing but good things." One guy remarked before walking away.

"I'm sure you have." Wu whispered loud enough for Hank to hear.

Soon everyone was asked to gather around and the new members blended in with the old. It was impossible to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Whispered conversations continued while the group assembled and awaited the introduction of their new Captain.

"Do you have any idea who this guy might be?" Hank asked as he leaned slightly in Wu's direction to keep the conversation personal.

"No clue. Haven't heard anything."

The whispered conversations transformed into loud noise and applause as the former Captain tuned Major walked through the double doors. There was a huge smile and his face and he looked even more put together than before. He was no longer a simple police captain, he was the Major of Portland and the guy certainly looked the part.

"How much do you think that suit cost?" Wu asked in a dry tone. "Probably more than I make in a year." Was Hank's follow up answer. The two men stood back as Sean Renard took command of the room. He gave a speech about the importance of the police department and the great work they were doing. He thanks the officers for their dedication to justice and their city and asked for their support in his efforts as Major to that citizens were protected and treated fairly. He was eloquent and charismatic; if Hank didn't know all he did about the man delivering the speech and the war between humans and Wesen, he would have believed every word.

"I also ask for your support in welcoming your new captain, Mr. Michael Bernick." The applause erupted once more as Bernick to center stage. He was tall, about the same height as Renard, but with a smaller build and hair so blonde that the light practically bounced off of it. He smiled at the group and they could hear the sigh of pleasure from some of the female staff.

"He's a pretty one." Wu commented as Hank discretely took a picture of the new guy. He didn't look familiar to Hank and Wu didn't recognize the guy either. This was someone new and they were pretty sure he was someone that was on Black Claw's payroll. They waited until all the hoopla was completed and Renard had left the building before making their own exit.

They arrived at the spice shop just as Rosalee was finishing up with a customer. Monroe closed the door behind the customer and they gathered by the counter to discuss what new information they had. Hank showed them the picture of Michael Bernick, but he is not familiar to any of them. They tried a Google search on this guy but all they found was a possible link to German ancestry.

"Have you heard anything from Trubel or Juliette?" Wu was just as anxious as everyone else to find out what was going on.

"No." Rosalee shook her head as she explained that after Juliette was feeling better the two took off to parts on known and there had been no communication since then. Trubel was determined to make connection with some of HW's contacts in other parts of the word, but no one knew how long that would take or if it would even make a difference. Meisner had been the driving force behind everything, without him the loyalty of everyone was in question.

It had been almost two weeks since Nick had left and they were no closer to figuring out what the next move would be.

"We should probably call Nick." Monroe dipped into his back pocket for the small burner cell phone that they had been using to communicate with Nick. They couldn't risk Renard tapping their cell phones or the one at the spice shop. They gathered around the cell phone like a life line as they waited for the ringing to turn into an answer.

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Nick was restless. Almost two weeks in hiding and he was missing being out and about, working a case with Hank and Wu and trying to solve a puzzle that required them to work together. Being on the outside was hard, ever since his aunt Marie told him about Grimms and what he would be going through, he has been on the front line of all the craziness taking place in Portland. It had been five years since his aunt's death. In that time he had encountered countless Wesen, witnessed rituals that dated back centuries and taken down monsters that threatened the lives of others. It wasn't easy to go from all that to his current situation.

He was sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the space where a television should be when Adalind bounced in and sat beside him. They had spent the early afternoon outside with the kids in the backyard, enjoying the nice weather and acting like normal families would. They had all been smiling and enjoying the moments, even Diana, who seemed less unsure about their situation. She was still slightly weary of Nick, but they had turned a corner that night she cried in his arms. They had something in common, that neither Adalind nor Kelly had truly experienced, they had Nick's mom. It seemed that Kelly Burkhart had brought them together; still being a mom even when she wasn't around to be.

"Kelly is sleeping." The sun had drained the little guy and his cranky attitude had been a sign that it was time for a nap. "Diana wanted to color. She is sitting on the floor in our bedroom." Diana had taken to never leaving Kelly's side. If he was sleeping she would sit nearby and whether Nick or Adalind held him in their arms she was always close. It was good that she was looking out for her brother and Nick tried not to over think about what she was capable of if she perceived any kind of threat … even from him.

"Ok." Adalind frowned at his one word answer.

"What on your mind?" The change was not easy for her either, but she was trying to make the best of it because what other choice did she have. At times the guilty feeling would rear its head, a reminder that Nick was in this mess because of her. The decisions she had made had led them to that moment. It would kill her if he hated her for it.

"Thinking about work, never thought I would miss it." Nick leaned in to place a kiss on her forehead and she moved her body closer. Adalind liked being wrapped up in him. He was still warm from being outside in the sun and she could smell the heat and fresh air on his clothes.

"I'm sorry. You love being a cop." Even when she hated him she could tell that he loved what he did and was good at it.

"It's okay. This is more important. You, the kids." Hearing him say kids broke something inside Adalind and she would be reluctant to admit that tears formed in the back of her eyes. It wasn't just that he said it, but how he said it, with no hesitation and with absolute truth. There was no way she wasn't going to kiss him. No hesitation when she pulled him closer and found that even that wasn't enough.

Their skin burned with something that neither could gave name to, but they needed to touch, to tease and taste and forget for awhile about the craziness that was their lives. They should have been more mindful of where they were and the thought crossed their minds for a second but it was beaten down by need and a reminder that it had been a while since they had this.

From the very first time, when Adalind was in Juliette's skin, there was an undeniable heat that their connection generated. In that moment when she wanted to hurt him Adalind and forgotten herself and for a second allowed her mind to believe that he was hers. And now he was. Without her pretending to be someone he loved. He didn't need the skin of his former lover to be the reason he tugged at her clothes or trailed the curve of her breast with his tongue. Adalind believed him when he whispered I love you against her ear as he entered and thrust deep into her. Those words were meant for her. No one else but her. So she returned them, breathless and panting, mixing his name in with the letters.

Their explosion collided with the ringing of a cellular phone that was resting against the wooden top of a coffee table. The vibration caused the phone to move against the smooth surface. But the call went unanswered as their hearts quieted down and the heat gave way to a cool breeze that licked their exposed skin. The ringing resumed and Nick turned his head in its direction.

A week ago he purchased a burner phone from the grocery store. It didn't require any identification information to be activated, only cash paid to a bored sales clerk. The phone was how he had been keeping in touch in Monroe, Rosalee, Hank and Wu. Monroe had bought their own phone as well to reduce the chances of someone figuring out where Nick was. They didn't talk that often, figuring it was best to keep the communication to a minimum.

Nick looked at the phone as it continued to move towards the edge of the table and couldn't help the thought that whoever was at the other end had really bad timing. "It's probably Monroe." He said and Adalind nodded her permission as she smiled at his uncertainty. Nick reached for the phone as she attempted to cover their bodies with a blanket that had been left on the couch the night before.

"Nick?"

"Monroe, hey."

" We're all here in the spice shop. Hank has some news for you." Nick knew that 'we' excluded Trubel and Eve, the two had gone off to seek help from some of Meisner's connections.

 _Hank has some news_. He mouthed the words to Adalind who was leaning against his shoulder.

Hank described the scene at the precinct. The officers that were joining the team and the new police Captain that looked like he walked off the cover of a GQ magazine.

"The guys name is Michael Bernick. We tried searching for him online but nothing concrete turned up. I've emailed you a picture of him." Nick wasn't familiar with the name either but there are a lot of things that he doesn't know about Black Claw and their connections.

"Has Renard made contact with any of them?" The question came from Adalind and Nick relayed it to the rest of the group. The answer was a collective no and frankly they are all a bit surprised that he hasn't. Maybe he wasn't too concerned about losing the readymade family; he had a whole city to look after.

Nick assured the group that he, Adalind and the kids are okay. They did the same for him and he felt some comfort knowing that his friends were still alive despite their connection to him. They made promises to call again with any new developments and ended the call. It was best to keep communication short. They had to take every precaution.

Nick leaned back into the couch, his chest still exposed but his lower half covered by a purple and green blanket. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to face Adalind who watched him with curious eyes. She hadn't heard the entire conversation and was a bit anxious about the information imparted during the four minute conversation.

"Have you ever heard of Michael Bernick?" The question hit Adalind like bricks on pavement and Nick registered her reaction immediately. "You know him?" He instantly sat upright. She gave a nod, unable to speak around the shock at hearing that name again for the first time in years.

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Hank and Wu left the spice shop with no new information but an unquenched curiosity about their new captain. Monroe returned the phone to his pocket and the store sign from closed to open. He moved back to the counter and squeezed Rosalee's shoulder as he went by. They were all worried about what would come next. In the time that Nick had been gone they'd had no unusual or negative encounters, no one had been posted outside their home watching their movements. Everything calm and normal. Except it wasn't.

"How are you feeling?" the question broke the tension left behind by their friends and reminded them that there were other things taking place in their lives.

"Good. I haven't had any nausea since lunch time so we are doing great." Rosalee smiled with reassurance before returning her attention to the spices she was labeling. "It was good to hear Nick's voice today. He sounded well, less … anxious."

"Yeah, I thought so too." Monroe placed a series of items on the shelves. "It sucks that he can't be here with us. We haven't even told him about the baby yet." It surprised Monroe how much that weighed on him. In the last five years Nick had managed to become his best friend and it felt strange not sharing something so important with him.

"Hopefully …" the chimes signaled the arrival of a new customer. Rosalee cut her words short and she looked up in anticipation to greet their new arrival.

"Hello Rosalee, Monroe." Sean Renard, the new major of Portland, was standing in their shop. He'd been there before, stood in that same spot before without the awkwardness that greeted him in that instance. Before, he had almost been a friend. Now he was the guy on the other side of a very high fence. Monroe and Rosalee paused in their actions to look at him. He looked good, well put together, but then again he always did. He certainly didn't look like a man who had lost his 'family' and unintentionally killed the leader of the corrupt organization to which he belonged.

"What are you doing here?" Rosalee could feel the anger radiating off her husband and she placed a steady hand on his shaky one to remind him to keep his cool.

"Look. I know you do not want me here, so let's just get to the point. I want to know where my daughter is." Monroe wasn't intimidated and neither was Rosalee. Actually she felt sick that it would take him so long to show any concern for his daughter

"Sorry, but we can't help you there. Herbs and spices are more our thing. If you need something to help you sleep at night I can suggest for a few options." Monroe smirked at his wife's words and thought 'that's my girl'.

"Look. I don't care about Nick or Adalind or their son. I just want my daughter."

"Maybe you should have done a better job of holding on to her." Monroe could see the anger rising in his face, but Sean was a master as keeping his cool.

"I will find her. I just thought it would be best for everyone if we were civil about it."

"Well, sorry we can't help you." In the thickening quiet they stared at each other until Sean apparently decided that what he was doing was not going to work. He turned and walked out. The chime from the door opening broke the silence and signaled that it was okay to release the breath they were holding.

"I hate that guy." Monroe walked over and closed the front door. He turned the open sign to closed, figuring it was best that they called it a day.

"Me too."

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	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the delay with updates. Im trying to get better at it. thanks for all the reviews and follows, I really appreciate the feedback.

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Chapter 5

Time is relative. It moves fast when you don't want it to and slowly when you are desperate for it to be over. There were days that seemed to go on forever as they thought about everything they were missing. Then, there days that flew by when they took their eyes of Portland and focused on the life they had created out of nowhere. Nick was still restless at times but somewhere along the way he developed a level of comfort that eased his mind and calmed restless limbs.

Before they knew it three months had passed since the battle in Nick's loft and the death of Conrad. Renard was now the sworn-in Mayor of Portland with no major moves during his first weeks in office. Hank and Wu were still anchored at the police department, relying on Monroe's help when they encountered a case heavy with Wesen influence. Short conversations with Nick would provide updates on their recent encounters but nothing substantial enough to give concern. If they were foolish enough they could almost believe that Black Claw was dead.

Monroe and Rosalee were having a baby. That news reminded everyone of just how important it was to say alert and not let Black Claw get the upper hand. They all had something to lose. Nick was reminded of that every time he played with his son or sat around the dining table having dinner like normal families do. At the moment there were no intel on the movements of Black Claw or what they were planning but groups like that don't just disappear and the arrival of the latest player, Michael Bernick, the new Captain of the Portland Police Department, was pretty telling. So the despite the quite, they had their ears to the ground. Hank and Wu had the task of keeping an eye on the new captain.

Michael Bernick, was in his thirties, somewhat young for a police captain but he came highly recommended. Apparently, according to the information being passed around the office, the guy was a former marine. After serving in the marines and moving through the ranks rather quickly, he left the service and joined the Waldorf Police Department. Office talk was that he did an awesome job of cleaning up a drug ring in that city. Information on Captain Bernick was shared freely from officer to officer, despite the guy having no online presence, not even a news paper article mentioning his name in connection to the awesome job done in Waldorf.

Michael Bernick was the older brother of Adalind Schade. It had been years since Adalind had seen or even heard his name. The last time she saw Michael was with both their mothers facing off, ready to battle each other while their children looked on in silence. Adalind could never forget the smirk on Michael's face as her mother conceded defeat; Catherine Schade had been humiliated, but recognized that there was nothing she could do. Adalind was seven years old at the time and terrified that she was about to die, as Michael's mother, Elizabeth Bernick, had threatened.

The sound of Nick's truck pulling into the drive way pulled Adalind from her thoughts and the she shivered, releasing the cold that had suddenly settled on her skin. It had been years since she had thought about that day and about the circumstances that lead them to Portland. She watched as Diana led Kelly by the hand as he struggled to stay upright on tiny feet. They pair moved towards the door so that Kelly could get a good view of his father's arrival. Adalind was like that once, eager to see her father walk through the door, eager for his attention and maybe even just a bit of affection. She looked on as Nick gathered Kelly in his arms before dropping noisy kisses on his neck and then his tummy. The little boy's laughter echoed across the room and made her smile.

Adalind never had that with her dad and it made Nick's acceptance of Kelly even more profound. She listened to her son's innocent squeals as her eyes traveled to the little girl standing close by. Diana was so much like her in so many ways that it hurt Adalind to even think about it. To start, they were both tools of her mother's ambitions. Adalind got pregnant with Diana because she wanted her powers back and Catherine had Adalind because she wanted more power than she already had. Diana stood to the side, watching Nick interact with his son, hearing the laughter from both and she waited. There was such a look of concentration and longing on her face that it broke Adalind's heart for a few seconds, until Nick paused his assault on Kelly and turned his attention to the little girl so desperately wanting it.

Nick ruffled Diana's hair, leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead and picked her up into her arms. Adalind thought she was much too big to be carried but Diana didn't seem to mind. With Kelly in one arm and Diana in another, Nick walked towards the kitchen where Adalind was leaning against the counter waiting for her greeting. Diana rattled off everything they had done that day, which wasn't much, but it was her habit to report to nick. It made her feel good to know that she was helping to keep them safe and Nick devoted his attention to her reports as he would fellow officer.

"Why don't I relieve you of some of your burden before you collapse?" A smiling Adaind took Kelly for Nick before accepting a quick kiss on the lips. They had fallen into a routine. Being in exile didn't stop life from moving forward, it simply altered how a typical day looked. It also required them to find a new way to take care of their family.

Trying to stay off the radar meant new identities. With Rosalee's help, they obtained fake identification documents which allowed Nick to purchase a new (old) truck for Nicholas McMurray. Nick's old truck was parked in the detached garage, out of sight. Taking care of a family also meant finding a job, the good thing about their location was the availability of construction and lumber jobs where people didn't ask too many questions. They just needed to know that you had all your fingers and toes and had no trouble lifting heavy equipment. Working kept Nick distracted and provided him with enough that he didn't need to access his accounts to take care of his family.

He continued to hold Diana in his arms as he moved around the kitchen, peeking at what Adalind had made for dinner and trying to grab a snack to keep his stomach from grumbling until the dinner was ready. She liked being up in his arms, despite the appearance of being too old to be carried around; Nick recognized the need and he obliged because, why not. She was Adalind's daughter and in the weeks since they had been living together an unexpected relationship had been forming between the two of them.

At first Nick wasn't sure what to make of it. But then he noticed that she watched him with Kelly, watched the ease with which he played with his son and the way Kelly reached to him. Adalind was worried but for the most part things progressed smoothly and before long Diana was just as caught up in getting his attention as Kelly was.

"Nick can you please have them wash their hands before sitting down?" By them, she really meant Kelly. Diana was at the sink, hands watched, dried and sitting at the table within just a few seconds. A huge grin on her face at the head shakes from the adults.

"Show off." Nick teased. He got Kelly's little hands under the water, which is never a challenge; it's getting him away from it that's the problem.

"Dadda nooo." Kelly Burkhardt stretched towards the faucet.

"Come on buddy, you can play with the water when you take your bath." The normalcy of their activities was not lost on Nick or Adalind but normal was starting to feel normal. They had dinner, conversed about any and everything (as long as it was appropriate in front of the kids), cajoled Kelly into eating everything on his plate and caught Diana trying to make the food disappear to help her brother out.

The dishes washed, the kids were bathed and tucked into bed; it was time for Nick to be a Grimm again. He completed the nightly routine of checking the perimeter and ensuring all the doors and windows were securely bolted. Black Claw being quiet didn't mean they could stop worrying. Renard warned Rosalee and Monroe that he would be looking for them and Nick wasn't taking any chances. They guy will have one hell of a fight when he tries to come after them. Nick knew it was just a matter of time before they would have to face each other again. He didn't plan on staying away forever.

Nick wasn't surprised to find Diana standing outside her bedroom door as he made his way back to his room. "All good?" She displayed a big grin with thumbs up in response to his question. Nick ruffled her hair like he always he did, followed by a kiss on her forehead. "Good job. Now go back to sleep before mommy complains." She nodded and returned to her bed. Nick whispered a final good night and closed her door. Diana liked feeling useful and not being treated as a child, even though most of her actions clearly reinforced that she was one. Using her powers to make sure there was no one hiding out near the property wasn't such a bad thing. Adalind was trying to help her not be so reliant on them, but she liked helping and Nick saw the way it made her happy.

Adalind laid awake with only Nick's heavy breathing for company. He was adamant that he wasn't coming down with a cold but Adalind would hear it as he slept. Her mind was restless as the story of her childhood kept playing over and over in her head. Adalind didn't know was Sean was up to now, but the presence of her brother was not a good sign. He was much more cruel and calculating than Conrad ever was.

Michael Bernick, was actually Michael Alexander Bernick III, he shared a father with Adalind. Although, shared was a pretty strong word. Michael Alexander Bernick II never really acknowledged his daughter. Adalind could probably use her fingers to count the number of times she had seen her father. Her father had been a powerful Zauberbiest, a military man that rose to the top of the ranks in the Marines; zauberbiests like power and they often get it no matter the cost.

Catherine Schade, like any good Hexenbiest, had been attracted to that power and knew that an association with the second M. A. Bernick would mean access to that power. Unfortunately he was already married with a son, but that didn't stop her. She would do whatever it took, including becoming his mistress and ensuring that she got pregnant with his child. The disappointment was that the child turned out to be a girl instead of another boy who would carry on the Bernick legacy.

Catherine benefited from the relationship for awhile; taking advantage of the senior Bernick's connections and influence within the Wesen community. But it didn't last long. Elizabeth Bernick grew tired of ignoring Catherine and her growing desire to take her place. So eventually she stepped in an ensured that Catherine and her daughter would no longer be accepted in their circle. She was more powerful than Catherine had realized. Michael Bernick III, Adalind's older brother, had taken every opportunity to make her life hell. He was only seven years older but the boy Zauberbiest was already learning how to wield his power against others.

Nick shifted in his sleep and pulled Adalind tighter to his body, reminded her that she was no longer the scared little girl hiding in the corners from her brother's hurt. She was an adult and the mother of two children who were loved more than she ever was.

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Nick had gotten use to the manual labor. It took him awhile but it wasn't much different from wrestling with Wesen in his role as a cop/Grimm. There was a satisfaction in the physical work, both physically and mentally. The tasks were simple and didn't require him to push his brain trying to figure out a puzzle that would only provide one crazy ending after another. Despite being taxing on his body, it provided the release that he needed and prevented him from driving Adalind crazy with questions about her long lost brother and a possible Black Claw agenda.

He found that he would focus when he was working. The physical demands distracted him from the all the thoughts about Portland, being away from their friends, the dangers that were out there and keeping his family safe. When he was breaking down a wall with a sledge hammer, he didn't have to think about all the things that could go wrong or Sean once again taking Adalind and Kelly away from him.

"McMurray! You want to give me a hand with this beam?" Jack was one of the guys Nick worked with on a regular bases. Nick didn't know much about him but he had a feeling Jack wanted it that way and Nick wasn't about to complain. Jack was about the same height as Nick but a lot broader and thicker, the one thing Nick knew about him was that he'd been involved in some manual labor or another throughout his life. They worked well together because neither asked personal questions and they were both about getting the job done and going home.

"Yeah, sure thing."

It had almost been a year since that faithful night when Renard (aided by Diana) killed Conrad and saved Nick's life. A year since him and Adalind and the kids left Portland behind. In that time, Nick had moved from being one of Portland's finest men in blue to working in construction projects. Nick was pretty good at keeping to himself. No one knew anything about him except that he had a family. They didn't even know his real name or that he lived in Portland.

Occasionally Adalind and the kids went into the town but that was very rear and only on days that were crowded. They could blend into the crowd without drawing any notice. A few times he ran into guys that he worked with but they moved along quickly and he never introduced them to his family. It was the way things had to be. At least for now.

Portland was still quiet. Hank and Wu could find nothing unusual to report about their new captain. Michael Bernick was keeping to himself, much like Nick was, and he hadn't made any suspicious moves in his ten months with the department. Monroe and Rosalee had no luck either. Even with Bud sending out feelers, they had nothing. Black Claw was either dead or really good at covering their tracks.

The quiet time was good for everyone. Monroe and Rosalee could focus on their baby girl. April was the spitting image of her mother, which was a good thing according to Adalind. They would love to be there for their friends the way they had been there when Kelly was born. Not that they needed Nick or Adalind's help, but it would have been nice to offer their support. Seeing everyone live life through pictures wasn't the same and sharing in it with them. The desire to be home again, back in Portland, was growing stronger and Nick had a feeling it was the same for Adalind.

"Murray! Focus man."

Nick pulled out of his thoughts and refocused on helping with the massive beam that needed to help support the weight of the upper level. They moved in symmetry as they carried the beam to the spot where it needed to be. For a second Nick couldn't help thinking that they needed a lot more help than two guys to get the thing into place. But Jack seemed determined and when the man started to hoist the beam above his head Nick was in awe.

"Jack I think we need to a couple more hands here."

"Nah we're fine. We got this." Nick wasn't too sure about that. He was starting to feel the pressure of the weight on his arms and shoulders.

It happened really fast. One minute they were fighting to the hold the darn thing and the next Jack was practically crumbling. Nick pushed as hard as he could to prevent the beam from falling on his coworker but he wasn't sure how much he could do.

Nick held his breath, waiting for the sound of bone crushing, but did never came. All that followed was a loud startled grunt as the beam missed Jack's leg and landed on the floor. The sound of the wood hitting the floor was deafening and it triggered a reaction from Jack; one that nick had not seen in almost a year. Jack woged; and he did it while looking directly at Nick.

The fear of losing his leg was replaced with the fear of having a Grimm stand before him.

"Don't panic. Just keep calm, I'm not going to hurt you." Nick kept his voice even. Nick recognized the two massive horns that curled at the end and massive beard that suddenly covered Jack's face; he was a Fuilcre. Nick remembered a case he worked that involved rain rituals performed by Fuilcre. "Look I'm not trying to cause any trouble; I'm just trying to do my job. You have nothing to worry about."

The panic slowly ebbed, taking the beard and horns with it. Jack scrabbled into a full sitting position with his back against the wall. "You're a Grimm."

"So it seems." Nick tried to laugh it off to help the guy relax. He thought it was odd to have a Fuilcre working with a construction company. They were usually farmers, often working on lands passed down from generation to generation.

Nick took a seat on the floor as well. His shoulders were killing him from holding the weight of the beam. "You're a Fuilcre." The guy nodded. "What are you doing working here?"

Nick finally saw Jack, the easy going guy he worked with for months. "Long story."

"Good thing I'm in the mood for a story."

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Adalind was okay with the life she was living, at least she thought so. After a year of being in that house and being away from everyone she accepted that her role had changed significantly. The hot Hexenbeist lawyer was gone and replaced by a stay at home mother and … 'girlfriend?' They never really labeled the relationship. Adalind loved Nick and Nick loved her and for the time been that was sufficient. He once told a store clerk she was his wife; Adalind wasn't sure what the conversation was about but he made a comment that "his wife and kids were right there". She didn't ask him about it. Probably out of fear, but she wasn't ready to process that bit of information.

The kids were doing good. Adalind had been so worried about Diana but she saw why Kelly stressed the importance of her growing up in a normal home. Diana was so different here, than she was in that mansion surrounded by Black Claw and their agenda. There were some days that made Adalind worry, like when Diana killed a stray dog that wondered in the backyard and was viciously barking at a stunned Kelly. She was just looking out for her brother, but it was a cold reminder of Rachel and her daughter's ability to kill without blinking an eye. At three years old she looked more like an eight year old but in Adalind's eyes her rapid growth had slowed. Nick noticed it too.

Kelly was a different story. He was playful and full of enough energy to keep everyone else busy all day. He was also the most loving kid every; she had a feeling that was the Burkhardt side of the family. Punishing him when he did something wrong was the most difficult thing Adalind had ever done. That face and sad innocent look got to her every time. Not to mention Nick, he was more of a sucker for it than she was. Which was understandable considering that Kelly worshipped his daddy and the sound of the truck coming down the drive sent him running towards the door every time.

They were happy. By some miracle Adalind was happy for the first time in her life. But she couldn't ignore a nagging feeling at the back of her head. A sense of moving further and further away from the person that she was; it was like grieving for someone you lost but knowing that the loss was for the best. Maybe this country life was the problem. She missed being in the city. Missed spending time with Rosalee without the boys; they would drink tea and talk about their absent partners. They could have shared mommy stories and Adalind could have been there for Rosalee the way that Rosalee had been there for her when she had Kelly.

"Mama. Mulk peese." Kelly walked over dragging his favorite blanket behind him. His nose was still runny after two days with a fever and a horrible cold.

"Mama needs to wipe your nose too buddy. Before she could release the shirt that she had been folding Kelly walked over and rubbed his snot covered nose and lips on her pants. The fantastic Adalind Schade had become a walking handkerchief. Was she really going to be putting herself through this again?

"I got it mommy." Diana got off the couch and moved swiftly towards the kitchen to grab her brother's bottle from the refrigerator. She tried so hard to be helpful and be the good girl that she knows Nick and Adalind hoped for.

"Dada home now." Kelly turned moved towards the front door, the blanket dragging behind him. Adalind wanted to wash that thing so badly but a cranky Kelly was not letting it out of his sight. "Ana come, dada home."

"Kelly, daddy isn't home yet. He'll be home soon ok." Adalind attempted to pick up her son but he wouldn't have it.

"Mama truck, dada home."

Adalind looked opened the door and looked out, but there was no sign of Nick or anyone else coming down the drive. She turned to Diana who had arrived with Kelly's bottle. "Can you tell if someone is coming?" She'd never asked Diana to use her powers, not since that day when Conrad set out to kill Nick.

"Mommy there is no one there." Diana handed the bottle to Kelly and he took it willingly.

"Ana, dada home."

"Not yet Kelly. Daddy will be home soon okay, I promise." Adalind closed the door and once again tried to move her son from his spot by the door but he wasn't having it.

"Noo, noo, dada home. Truck. Dada home." His face was so determined, so certain of what he was saying that he reminded Adalind Nick. The way he was when he made up his mind about something. She'd seen that look countless times.

"Kelly, you could come and play with me. You could be superman again and I'll make you fly." Diana reached for his hand but he pulled away.

"Nooo." The poor kid looked like he wanted to cry but Adalind also knew that he was tired from dealing with the fever and cold and not being able to keep much food in his tummy. He just wanted his daddy and she knew Nick would be home soon.

"Kelly come with mommy…"

"Nooo! Dada home. Truck." He reached for the door handle, going on his tippy toes to do. "Truck." Adalind felt so bad for Kelly that she helped him to open the door, hoping he will be satisfied when he doesn't see his daddy's truck in the drive.

"Kelly, see daddy isn't here yet, but…" Nick's truck turned into the drive before she could finish.

"Truck! Dada!" Kelly shouted and pointed for emphasis so that Adalind could see that his dad was really there.

Adalind looked at her son and noted the excited expression on his face. She watched the truck move down the drive towards the house but her mind wasn't on Nick's arrival home; it was on Kelly. She crouched down beside him and tried to command his attention. "Kelly. Kelly." He turned away from the arrival to look at her. "Did you hear daddy's truck coming before mommy saw it?"

Kelly delivered a huge smile. "Dada truck." After that it was all about Nick and Adalind was left wondering. Could Kelly have heard the truck coming? Was that even possible? Diana didn't hear it so how could he? Nick could hear things far away if he concentrated; but he was born with that ability. The fact that Kelly was half Grimm and half Hexenbiest left things very uncertain. They had no idea what abilities he would have or if he would have any.

When all the hoopla over daddy's arrival was done and Kelly was wrapped up in his blanket with his sippy cup, Diana reading a book by his side, Adalind finally had the moment to talk to Nick. Actually she needed to talk to him about more than Kelly possibly hearing him coming from miles away.

"I need to talk to you." They chorused as Nick entered the kitchen.

"Actually, we need to call Monroe and Rosalee." Nick had that look on his face; the one Kelly had earlier when they didn't believe him about his daddy's truck. The look told her something was going on and Adalind didn't think it was good news.

"What's going on?"

"That guy from work, Jack, I told you about him." Adalind nodded in response. "Turns out he's a Fuilcre."

"A Fuilcre working construction?"

"My thoughts exactly. It turns out there is an interesting reason why he left the farm and moved here with his family." Nick's pause was dramatic and caused Adalind to hold her breath. "Black Claw."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to everyone who keeps following this story. The comments continue to push me forward so please don't hesitate to let me know what you think.**

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Jack, the Fuilcre, practically run away from home because his older brother Thomas decided that being a part of a Wesen supremacist group was a good thing. Thomas's entire life had become consumed by the group and caused the brothers to start feuding because they didn't see eye to eye. Jack distinctly remembered the claw like mark that Thomas painted above the entrance to their farm house; adamant that this was the way of the future. Thomas believed that it was time for Wesen to take their rightful place in society; at the top. Not hiding behind their human selves so that people could have a false sense of safety. Thomas wanted the old ways again; when sacrifices were allowed to ward off a bad harvest and all Wesen could live out in the open without fear of been hunted by Grimms.

Jack felt he had no choice but to leave and make his own way for his family. His brother was the eldest and controlled what had been passed down from their father. Besides, there was no way Jack could take on a fight with his brother when his brother was garnering the support of many of the local families. Jack recognized that it was time to get away, before his dissention turned violent. His wife agreed as well; the words of his brother scared her and there was nothing Jack wouldn't do to keep his family safe. They would have to make it on their own. He was hoping to save up some money, enough for a down payment on a piece of land and they'd take it from there.

Nick took another sip of his beer as he listened to Jack recap the story. He'd heard most of it before but he wanted to go over it again. For almost a year they had kept their eyes and ears towards Portland, failing to realize that Black Claw was smart enough to start building their support in other areas. Jack was from a small town called Mount Vernon, about four hours away from Portland. He'd never even been to Portland but he reported that his brother had on a few occasions in the last year. The visits were business related but Nick had a feeling that the business involved more than selling the products their farm produced.

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He was staring to get the hang of it, well sort of. It wasn't just something you got use to overnight. A year and a half ago a full moon was simply a normal occurrence in the lunar cycle. There have always been superstitions surrounding the full moon. As a cop, the crazy drunks and dare devils always seemed to come out during those times but he thought it was all coincidence, the moon provided an excuse for people to act crazy.

As someone navigating the lines between two words, he came to realize how wrong he had been. It turns out the moon, like the stars and the planets, gave off a frequency. Humans pick up that frequency and it impacts their feelings, emotions and desires i.e. they act outside of their normal behavior. Lycanthropes are even more susceptible to the moon's frequency. It doesn't just impact their minds; the frequency travels through their bodies and cause a transformation. It takes over everything. Hank described it "like a Blutbad on steroids." Wu couldn't disagree with that one. But he wasn't a Blutbad. He was human; for the most part.

Being infected by a Lycanthrope and the resulting symptoms was something he was still getting use to. The moon didn't turn him into a raging monster like it did Elizer Baske, for Wu he was more like a hot head; which would explain the sweating. There was very little information in the Grimm books on lycanthropia in humans. Rosalee was a big help in figuring things out but no information also meant no idea how to make it go away. They tried a few potions but they only left him with indigestion; one even triggered his change instantly. In trying to cure him they did figure out that it was tied to his emotions. The werewolf/caveman like creature seemed to emerge when he was in a heightened emotional state. Therefore, if he could control his emotions he could control the change.

Wu had been practicing. With Nick gone from the precinct their Wesen problems had significantly lessened. They called on Monroe and Rosalee every now and then to help out with a case but it wasn't often. When his shift was over he had time to figure things out. It wasn't perfect but he had gotten really good at controlling the change. Rosalee joked that it was almost like he could woge, just like a Wesen.

"Wow I can't believe it man." Monroe entered from the back room of the shop. "How does it feel?"

"Strange, but almost natural at the same time; if that makes any sense."

"No it makes perfect sense. It's not easy for non-wesens to deal with the effects of our world, but I have to hand it to you, you're handling it pretty well."

"Educating yourself was very important." Rosalee commented as she gently rocked April, who decided that she was not okay with being in her cot by herself.

The door chimed, signaling Hank's entrance. Wu wasn't the only one that had to adjust to changes in his life. Hank was still trying to get use to his new partner and dodging the guy from time to time was becoming more of a challenge. "This better be important. I had to ditch Sparky at the station while he was talking to the captain." Hank had taken to calling his new partner 'Sparky' after a dog he had when he was growing up. The thing followed him everywhere.

"Still a pain in the ass?" Monroe asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" There was no doubt that Sparky was a spy for the captain or Renard or whomever was in charge of Black Claw these days. They didn't have any concrete evidence to prove it, but Hank recognized a gut feeling and those had saved his life a few times in his line of work.

"How is little April?" Hank nodded at the baby held in Rosalee's hand.

Rosalee rolled her eyes but smiled. "Already trying to have her way and her daddy can't help giving in."

"Hey, I'm not the one holding her when she should be asleep in her crib."

"That's because you pick her up all the time. Now even when she is dying to sleep she doesn't want to stay in the darn thing."

"Okay, maybe I do that sometimes…"

"You do it all the time." Hank and Wu chorused with a laugh. Monroe leveled a wounded look at all three.

They talked for a while about April, their jobs, love lives; throwing a few jokes in here and there. They'd developed by light batter over the last year. Lack of Black Claw activity forced them to find other things to talk about. Hank would joke that he was bored with all the quiet but the truth was he missed his friend. They all missed Nick. His absence had been a stark reminder of how much he was the glue that connected them.

"We heard from Nick." Monroe reported after they had exhausted the everyday topics of conversation. Wu and Hank looked at the two people in front of them, certain that this wasn't just the usual check in phone call with Nick. There was something more. "It was a short phone call, but…" Monroe's short pause was deafening as the group looked at each other. "He met someone who had information about Black Claw. Apparently they're still recruiting, just not in Portland."

"But not too far away either." Rosalee added.

It was the first bit of Black Claw news they'd had in what felt like forever.

"Nick is sure about the information he received?" Hank didn't doubt his friend; he just needed confirmation that this was actually happening.

Monroe nodded. "Pretty sure. Actually he sounded downright excited."

All eyes turned to him. They might be reluctant to admit it but they missed the excitement of chasing after the bad guy. Solving wesen related crimes and thwarting the efforts of those who would seek to rein chaos. They got to be real live heroes. Not that they considered themselves heroes but they certainly weren't the villains. It had been exhilarating to join Nick on the Grimm side, to experience the world in the way that Grimms did. They all understood why he would be excited but they were not going to admit that a part of them was excited as well.

"So what now?" Wu wasn't sure what to make of the news. They had learned that Black Claw was still out there recruiting but what could they do about? Should they even do anything about it? Nick was the one the usually figured out the next move, they followed his lead.

"We wait." Monroe didn't think there was anything else they could do.

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Having power came easy to him; sewn into the fabric of his DNA. Even as a kid he craved it, manipulated to get it and used it in any which way that he saw fit. It greeted him from both sides of the coin that was his heritage. The Hexenbeist mother and the Royal father; both born with power and willing to do as they saw fit.

Being Mayor was simply an extension of that power. It was not an office that he aspired to but it fell in his lap and he was not about to waste it. He was careful, always had been. Keeping power also meant being able to pretend like you had none. You give the people around you a false sense of importance; that their part in the act matters, and they are willing to do anything for you. Not because they believe in the plot, no, simply because they think they have a stake in it. He learned that lesson from his mother. It served him well as a police captain and would continue to serve him as Mayor.

Sean had to admit that for a while he lost sight of that innate desire and sense of control. He'd been tainted by the most unexpected source, a Grimm. At first having a Grimm close by seemed like a good way to extend his power, especially when it came to his royal family members. Being somewhat of an outcast didn't give him much leeway with them. But controlling a Grimm certainly would. The plan was figured out and put in place. Somewhere along the line, the control shifted and he was the one under Nick's thumb.

Conrad and Rachael rescued him. They reminded him of who he was, what he was and what he carried inside him. A Zauberbeist. Powerful.

Conrad was gone and in his place stood someone with the potential to accomplish more. No one knew that Conrad was lost by his hand. Sean kept that information to himself. He couldn't understand what took place that day. How he lost control of himself and killed the man that was pulling him from ruin. He questioned his reaction to Conrad killing Meisner, questioned the feelings that welled up inside when he saw that Conrad was about to kill Nick. There had been a sense of regret, a sense that things had gone further than he intended. There was a split second thought that he should do something about it. Suddenly he did. The sword was in and out of Conrad before Sean was even aware that he had moved.

His insides curled at the memory that for a split second he thought he should save Nick and that he actually did. A moment of weakness, one he would not repeat. Conrad's death haunted him for awhile, before he could shake off Nick's influence, and focus on the future. There were opportunities in front of him. He was the new Major of Portland. Portland was his to rule. He'd been born to a royal father but for the first time Sean Renard felt like a king.

Despite the thrown he sat on, being Mayor was not enough. It allowed him to stretch his arms wider and made others take note. Even the remaining fractions that were loyal to his father's family, they all took note and sought him out. But there was another reason that they felt the need to connect themselves with him. Sean Renard wasn't just the Major of Portland, he was also the father of a very powerful Hexenbiest child. One with more power than ever seen before. With her by his side Sean would have full control.

"I'm sorry sir. We will continue the search."

Sean barely acknowledged the suit clad underling that worked in his crew. The message was the same as before. There was no trace of Adalind anywhere. Or Nick. Or Diana. He had people keeping an eye on all Nick's friends but that led them nowhere. Sean was sure they were together. There was no way that Adalind didn't disappear with Nick.

"I have an idea." Michael stood from his lounging position and presented himself before Renard. Sean lifted his head to acknowledge the younger man. "Why don't we make coming home very attractive for Nicholas Burkhardt?"

Adalind's older brother reached out to him immediately after his victory in the mayoral election. He'd been in contact with Conrad prior to that and was a strong supporter of what Conrad was trying to accomplish.

"Drop the assault and escape charges against him. Remove his fugitive status. We'll pull the watch on his friends. Make them feel absolutely comfortable. It's been almost a year without incident; let's show them that there are no hard feelings on your part. All Nicholas' ties are to this city, I bet he is itching to return. We'll even offer his old job back."

Renard eased back into his chair and contemplated Michael's words. "Would dropping the changes make me look weak?"

"No, actually it may show you as a forgiving man, someone more concerned about the well being of others more than his own desire for retribution."

"I have to think about it." Sean trusted Michael to an extent. He was a Zauberbeist after all, their desire for power outweighed loyalty.

Michael unbuttoned his perfectly tailored jacket and took the seat directly in front of Renard. "You displayed a wife and children before the world. Then over night they seemed to disappear. There are questions."

Sean released a heavy breath. "I know."

"You believe Adalind is with Nicholas. If he returns, it means Adalind and Diana are close by and that is enough to pacify those that would question you."

The mayorship carried its own weight. Having power was one thing, keeping it was another. He had to maintain the support of certain factions in both the human and Wesen world. That meant supplying them with the assurances that they needed; at least for now, until he had no need for them anymore.

"I need to think about this." Sean didn't think Nick would drop his guard just because he was no longer a fugitive. In truth, Nick and Adalind held the cards, they had Diana. That fact irked him more than anything else.

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Hank pored over the case files spread out on his desk. His thoughts going to the fact that this would be so much easier with Nick around. Wesen was all over this one, but he had no way to prove that and he was reluctant to drag Monroe into it. There was no doubt that Sparky was Wesen; Hank's instinct was all over that one. But the guy kept that information to himself and not once did he use that to help out with the cases that came their way. Sparky was a dud, his only purpose seemed to be staying close to Hank and report his moves to the new captain. Michael Bernick; he was still in disbelief about that guy's connection to Adalind. You would think things couldn't get more complicated.

His phone buzzed and distracted him from the picture of the mutilated remains that graced his desk. Hank pulled the device from his pocket and smiled at the picture that popped up when he opened the message. The smiling face of his girlfriend greeted him with a message that expressed a strong desire to see him later in the evening.

Hank had to admit that it took him awhile to try dating again after Zuri. Her betrayal did a number on him, not because he was over the moon in love with her, but because she was another one in the list of women that used him to get to Nick. The first one was Adalind. Hank tried not to think about that too much. Adalind had changed, he'd seen it for himself and she was a part of Nick's life now. Forgive and forget they say. And he did. Getting pass Zuri hadn't been so easy. He thought they really had something special but it turned out the something special they shared was Nick.

It was hard for him to admit but Nick being gone meant that Hank's life didn't revolve around his partner. His work and personal life somehow become intertwined with Nick's, not that he didn't love the guy, but Hank needed some space. The past few months allowed him to breathe, to get back into the things he enjoyed doing. He started dating again after the Zuri effect wore off and actually allowed himself to really fall for someone.

Things might be quiet on the Wesen take over front, but he wasn't taking any chances. Hank introduced his intended girlfriend to Rosalee and Monroe after about a month of dating. He needed to know now before things went any further and he needed to know if she had any ties to anyone that could possibly be interested in Grimms. Turns out she was a regular human, just like him, with no ties to the Wesen community. To say he was relieved would be an understatement. With Nick out of the picture things were actually looking up for him. Outside of Sparkly, all was good. Hank was happy, not that he hadn't been happy before. This time he could enjoy the happiness.

There was no new information in the past week since Nick's report of Black Claw activities in small towns outside of the city. Despite the quiet time and being able to focus on other things in his life, Hank would make any moves to have his partner back. Nick was family; even when family drives you crazy, you still want them around.

"Griffin. My office."

Hank returned the cell phone to his pocket, tidied the paperwork on his desk and obeyed the captain's order.

"Close the door please."

"Yes, sir" Hank wasn't intimidated by Captain Bernick. The guy was pretty similar to Renard but somehow managed to be more refined. A pretty boy. Yet Hank and seen him in action and knew that pretty didn't mean passive or weak.

"You were partnered with Nicholas Burkhardt for about five years." Here we go again. At least the guy got to the point.

"Yes, sir."

"I've been reviewing both your files." Captain Bernick was seated at his desk with his eyes completely focused on Hank. The guy always gave his full attention in a conversation. "The two of you together had an impressive case record, best in the precinct."

"Thank you." What did he want?

"How are things going with Detective Conway?"

Hank wasn't sure how much he should reveal and Bernick was giving nothing away. "They are going, sir."

The Captain took a contemplative breath before proceeding. "The precinct hasn't been doing as well in the past few months. Our closing rate is down significantly from last year." Because you hire idiots like Sparky. "I can't have that. Not on my watch. Detective Griffin, I don't like to lose and right now if feels like I am."

What was Hank suppose to do about that?

"I am offering Detective Burkhardt his job back. Whatever issues he had with the previous Captain will play no part in my dealings with him. I tried contacting him via the information we had on file, however, that's been unsuccessful."

Hank tried to be as stone cold and Bernick. "What about the charges against him?"

"Dropped." The word said with finality. "If you have contact with Detective Burkhardt, please let him know that I'm happy to welcome him on my team. Detective Griffin, your record together speaks for itself. I intend for this precinct to be the best and I need good detectives to achieve that. That's all." He smiled, a signal to the end of their conversation.

Hank left the office dazed as he tried to wrap his mind around the Captains words. That was the last thing Hank expected when he walked into that room. What was he playing at? When were the charges against Nick dropped? Renard had to give his approval on that one. Why would he do that?

"Hey Hank, there you are. We need to talk." Wu's words gut through the fog and the two walked quietly out of the precinct and into the parking lot. Hank wasn't sure he could handle anything else after that conversation.

They stood outside, just at the corner of the building where Hank was parked. "A buddy of mine just gave me some pretty interesting information. They dropped the charges against Nick. The assault on Renard, escape from police custody, all of it. Gone."

"I know."

Wu looked utterly surprised. "How do you know?"

"The Captain told me. He wants to offer Nick his job back."

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The spice shop was the usual place to meet up and discuss any new information but Monroe and Rosalee had gotten into the habit of closing up earlier than they use to. They weren't kidding when they said that children change your life. With the spice shop closed, Hank and Wu made their way to Monroe and Rosalee's house. They tried not to disturb the couple too late at night but this time it couldn't be helped. New parents needed time to sleep but a fresh case got Hank and Wu sidetracked and tied up their time for a while. A late night visit was unavoidable.

"Are you sure about this?" Monroe asked after Hank relayed his entire conversation with the Captain.

"Pretty sure I heard correctly." Was Hank's response.

"What do you think this is all about?" Rosalee sat beside her husband in a slight state of disbelief. "Is this good news?"

"Why would Renard drop the charges?" Wu had just as many questions as everyone else.

The four of them talked it over, brainstorming any possible reason for the charges being dropped. The one that struck true all around was that it was better to keep Nick close, where they could get to him, rather than out of their reach.

"Should we tell Nick?" They shared every bit of information, no matter how small, and this definitely wasn't small. Monroe waited for their response but everyone seemed uncertain.

"I think we need to. He promised to keep each other in the loop. Nick deserves to know." The three gentlemen nodded at Rosalee's words.

"I'll get the phone." Monroe left the living room to return a short time later with the latest burner phone in hand. "How do you think he will take it? Do you think he will want to come back?"

"Only one way to find out." Hank knew Nick's return may not be the best idea, but selfishly he hoped for it.

As Monroe started to dial the numbers on the keypad there was a knock on the door and he paused. The call to Nick would have to wait for a few minutes. Even though he knew it was Bud at the door, there were some things that they didn't share with their friend.

"I'll get it." Monroe handed the phone to Rosalee before moving towards the door. "Don't say anything to Bud about this. As far as we know there is no new information." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Monroe pulled open the door; ready to great their friend, who had remained fairly active in their lives the past few months. Bud was a sucker for April and Rosalee predicted that she would be one very spoiled little girl.

"Hey Bud …" The words died in his mouth at the realization that it wasn't Bud standing on his door step. Unless Bud grew a few inches taller, lost some weight and started to look a lot like Nick.

To be continued...


	7. Chapter 7

i **keep wondering how this short glimpse turned into a multi chapter story lol**

 **Sorry for the delays between chapters and sorry if this one doesn't flow like it should. my brain stopped focusing half way through. thanks or the continued likes and follows, wouldn't keep writing if there weren't people willing to read :)**

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Nick paused for a second at the sight of his friend. Monroe looked the same. Nick wasn't sure what he was expecting but it didn't seem like a year had passed since being face to face with his friend. Monroe was the first friend he made in the Wesen community, and lucky for Nick, he didn't run away at the thought of helping a Grimm. Monroe didn't run away when his own life was in danger and he didn't run after Black Claw made their intentions clear. Nick wouldn't have blamed him if he had.

Monroe had a family to think about, a wife and a daughter that needed him to be there. They'd thought about leaving. In one of those brief calls that allowed them to keep abreast of what was going on in each other's life, Monroe shared his thoughts about leaving Portland behind. Like Jack, Monroe was thinking about what was best for his family. Nick didn't know what advice to give his friend; he could only express the debts to which he would be willing to go to protect his own family. Monroe would be just the same, there was no doubt about that.

In the end it was Rosalee who made the decision to stay. She ran before, from places and people that she no longer wanted to be associated with, but she was done running. They made a life in Portland. If it wasn't for that city she would never have met Monroe or Nick and Adalind or Bud; all the people that had become her family. For Rosalee family had taken on a whole new significance and that staying put. Apparently Nick's exile didn't count as leaving; he was just biding his time until he could return, with Adalind and the kids in tow.

Nick stood at Monroe's door wondering if he had made the right decision. He was risking a lot to be in the place that he was but there'd been a pull that he was not willing, or foolish enough, to ignore. Adalind wasn't comfortable with the idea but she went along with it because she knew Nick (he was starting to recognize that she knew him better than anyone); there was no deterring him once he set his mind to something. Nick kissed his kids and his girl goodnight then made the trek to Portland, knowing that he was risking being arrested and having to come face to face with Portland's new Major. Actually the last part Nick was looking forward to.

"Monroe." His eyes had gone wide at the sight before him and Nick found it slightly amusing.

"Nick." Monroe shook his head as if to clear his vision. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

The shocked look continued to dominate Monroe's features. "Yeah, Yeah, I just…I can't believe you're here."

Nick took a step forward an indication for his friend to step back and allow him entry into his house but instead of moving backwards Monroe closed the gap between them and engulfed Nick in a hug. The gesture caught Nick by surprise but he recovered quickly and returned the expression. "It's really good to see you." He'd missed his friend more than he could say.

Monroe released Nick and finally stepped aside to allow him entry. "Everyone is here." Guess he came on a good night. "Hey guys, you might want to look this way." Monroe closed the door and stood behind Nick as all three heads turned at his words.

Nick looked at the faces in the room and felt like he was home. He registered the shocked expressions that turned into disbelief, then acceptance before transforming into joy. The group was on their feet and exchanging hugs before Nick could even say a word. They smiled and greeted each other like family and Nick got the chance to meet their new member, April Rose Monroe.

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Adalind couldn't sleep. She'd developed a bad habit of not being able to relax enough for sleep when Nick wasn't around. It started from their days living together in the loft, trying to figure out how to stop hating each other and actually get along for the sake of their new born son. Needless to say, they figured it out. Kelly brought them together in a very unexpected way and Adalind found herself falling in love with the last man on earth that she wanted to be in love with. It was all water under the bridge. She laid awake, slightly annoyed with herself that she had become so dependent on Nick's presence.

Nick's decision to go to Portland came after a second meeting with Jack. Adalind didn't have all the details of what was revealed but she recognized Nick's determined face as soon as he walked through the door. It's the same look Kelly had when he wanted something and there was nothing Nick or Adalind could do to change his mind. Adalind didn't know much except that it was enough to make Nick risk his freedom for a face to face meeting with his friends.

Adalind was use to not knowing much when it came to Nick's life as a Grimm. There were things he didn't tell her, he used coded conversations with the others on the phone so she would have no idea what they were referring to. He didn't trust her all the way and she couldn't blame him. She was a Hexenbeist and he was a Grimm. She tried to kill his aunt. She ruined his life with Juliette. She left with his son and joined Sean (doesn't matter that she was doing it to get to Diana). Adalind wouldn't trust anyone with that track record. She knew it. It never bothered her until then. Until Nick risked everything and she had no clear reason for it.

Nick had his life before she wreaked havoc on it. He had strong ties to his friends and they were his allies in whatever mission he was tackling. Adalind helped out a few times but she was never a part of the group. Nick didn't seek her out to discuss Wesen problems or issues with the uprising; she was more of a last resort when he had no idea where else to turn. Nick loved her, he told her that and she believed it, but Adalind was relegated to a certain part of Nick's life and he did not seem comfortable with the two mixing.

Adalind wasn't angry with Nick. She understood it. She registered the excitement on Nick's face when he came home; once again he was Nicholas Burkhardt, Portland's Grimm/detective. It was obvious that he was happy to be given a task beyond picking up a list of groceries from the store. But Nick going to Portland was not a good thing; Adalind felt like their lives were about to be turned upside down. Not that they had much of a life now; but the kids were safe and doing well and that was the most important thing.

Adalind's brain would not allow her to relax so she gave up trying to sleep and sat upright in their bad. Her body was not in agreement with the movement and she felt the bile rising to the back of her throat. A few deep breaths allowed her to stave it off; saving a trip to the bathroom to release what was left of her dinner. She continued to breathe as she rested her head against the headboard. She never got sick with Kelly, but this one was sending her running to the bathroom at the most unexpected times. She touched her stomach as she breathed and tried not to think about what would happen next with their little family.

The Portland trip made her nervous in ways that she had not been willing to express to Nick. He made the decision to go before he even got home and there was no point in trying to dissuade him. Nick obviously needed that trip, so it was not a good time to tell him that she didn't agree with him going and it wasn't a good time to tell him that he was going to be a dad again.

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When all the greetings and recap of the past year was complete Nick finally had the opportunity to tell them why he was there. In all honesty he could have relayed the information over the phone but it wasn't the same. They worked better when they could be together and pour over the information directly in front of them. They'd cultivated this team in the years since Nick discovered he was a Grimm. It started with him and Monroe and them Hank, followed by Rosalee and Wu. Juliette had been a part of it at one point. But there was no need for him to dwell on how things had turned out on that front. They worked well together. These people where the first ones he would call if he needed help; there were plenty of times when he had to pick up the phone.

Nick took a map from his jacket pocket and placed it on Monroe and Rosalee's dining room table. It was a map of Oregon and the surrounding areas, showing all the cities and the towns. Jack provided him with valuable information that indicated that Black Claw was a lot more active than they thought.

"All these read marks are places where Black Claw recruiting has taken place." The red marks had been placed there for dramatic effect because if you connect the dots, they formed two perfect circles around the city of Portland, a large circle and a smaller one within the large circle. "Jack remembered this information from the map in his brother's office." Nick couldn't be more grateful to the guy.

"Holy shit." Wu expressed what they were all thinking.

"We've been thinking that they were quiet, biding their time, but they've been in full swing all along, we just had no idea." Monroe looked at Nick with concern.

"What are you thinking?" Hank looked at his old partner and could see the wheels spinning.

"Something big is coming." They had to find a way to figure out what that something was. "Renard is smart and strategic. He knows how to use people to get what he wants." Nick had seen evidence of that.

"Could the circle be preparation for some kind of ritual? We've seen a few of those before?" Wu looked to Rosalee.

"It could be the beginning of one. I'll have to do some research but you may not be far off on this. If it is a ritual, it's something huge to require this much maneuvering. This isn't just a lets' make it rain situation." Rosalee continued to focus on the map, on all the places that Nick had marked in red. There were dangerous things in the wesen world, things that she had never encountered or heard of. Renard was a Zieberbeist, at least half of one, they were the most powerful type of wesen. Power like that could pull on supernatural forces in ways that other wesen could not. Nick was right, something big was coming.

"Nick, do you still have the stick? Have you figured out anything else about it?" The question from Monroe threw him but Nick recovered quickly.

"No. Nothing new on that." He'd been keeping it hidden in the old garage along with his truck. " Have you heard anything from Trubel or Eve?" There were nays all around. He knew she would have a good reason for staying away; Trubel was always chasing down her own leads. Hopefully she would eventually turn up with helpful information or even just to touch base with everyone. Trubel was a part of their family. Eve's position remained in question.

Everything remained uncertain but they had been in that position before.

They all looked at each other. In the last year they had received no helpful information on Renard. He was playing the role of Major very well and his approval rating was through the roof. People loved him and that made him even more dangerous.

"If Renard is pulling the strings, then we need to find some way to get close to him." Renard managed to expand Black Claw without any of them knowing, Nick had to find a way to get to that guy. The war had started with him still in the dark.

"What about Adalind?" Everyone looked at Wu with surprise.

"No." That was all Nick was willing to offer on that subject. "What about the new Captain, could he be a connection?"

"The guy is smooth." Hank reported. "Careful. I've never seen him with the Renard outside of his first week on the job, but I don't trust him." At the mention of the new captain Hank remembered his conservation from earlier, the very reason he was at Monroe and Rosalee's house. "Speaking of the new captain, he wanted to extend an olive branch." Nick looked on with curiosity. Besides the guy being Adalind's brother, Nick knew nothing next to nothing about him.

"We should probably sit down for this. I'll make some tea." Rosalee left for the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Monroe, Hank and Wu looked at each other before Hank continued to relay his conversation with the captain.

Nick sat in disbelief at Hank's words. "What?"

"My thought exactly." Monroe commented as he took a seat as well.

All four sat around the table; the map still open in front of them, a stark reminder of how little they knew about that Black Claw was planning.

"Nick it's all true. Those were the words relayed by our captain."

"The charges were definitely dropped." Wu explained about his friend who discovered the information.

"He's seriously offering my job back?" There was no denying the spark of something in Nick's eyes. Hope maybe. "What is the agenda? I'm sure that guy knows about me and Adalind, his relationship to her can't be a coincidence. So why do all that?"

"Maybe it wasn't him, maybe it was Renard?" Hank offered. "He could be pulling all the strings."

"But why drop the charges?" Munroe asked

"There is no doubt that he's been looking for me and Adalind." Nick recalled Monroe and Rosalee's report of their encounter with Renard shortly after Nick and Adalind left Portland with the kids. "He hasn't been able to find us, so why not make us think it was okay for us to return. He's trying to be clever." Nick thought about Renard's strategy and he couldn't fault the guy for trying everything. Whatever reason he had behind seeking Diana she was still his daughter and Nick was his enemy. The first rule of war is to keep your enemies close. This was Renard's attempt at keeping him close. But maybe it could work both ways; if Nick was in Portland he had a better chance of finding out what Renard was up to. If Nick was right under his nose maybe the guy would be more likely to make a mistake and reveal the hand he was playing with.

Monroe looked at his friend with concern. "Nick are you seriously considering taking him up on his offer?"

Nick looked around the room at all their faces. Rosalee reentered and for a moment they are all distracted by the offering of tea but there is no doubt that the question remains forefront in their minds.

"So what are you going to do?" Rosalee breaks the silence with her question.

Hiding was against his nature, but it kept him and his family safe. If he moved back to Portland he would expose them to Renard and everything he had behind him. If he was honest with himself he would say that having to pretend that he was someone else was starting to get to him. He liked being Nicholas Burkhardt, his life was crazy but it was his without the worry of saying he wrong thing or giving someone the indication that he was not who he said he was.

Renard having any access to Diana would be a bad thing. Renard coming after him wouldn't help anyone either. They were offering Nick his old life back but at what cause. Nick didn't know if he was willing to risk the people he loved for a sense of purpose. Was he addicted to playing the hero? All heads were turned his way, waiting for him to give a reply.

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Adalind continued to struggle to find rest. She looked in on the kids and followed Nick's little perimeter check before making a cup of tea and taking it back to bed with her. She missed having tea with Rosalee and talking about things that had to do with regular life, like how both Nick and Monroe forget to put the toilet seat down. You would think from years living with Juliette Nick would have learned to curb that habit. Juliette.

She hadn't thought much about Juliette but Adalind always felt a lingering of her in the air around them. Nick would start to make a reference to a memory but he would stop because she was usually tangled up with it. He never said her name, not on purpose. Juliette didn't matter now. Juliette was gone; transformed into Eve and Adalind had to acknowledge that there was a part of her that was glad for it. She wasn't sure she would have Nick if Juliette was still around, if she hadn't hurt Nick the way she did. The death of his mother, in Nick's mind, outweighed everything Adalind had done to him. Plus they had Kelly, the most adorable child in the world, who somehow caused enemies to become … lovers.

There was lingering insecurities about her place in Nick's life. In the past year, that did not go away simply because they were forced to be each other's company twenty four seven. Adalind loved him and he said he loved her so that's what she was keeping as the focus. If that changes, then she would have to deal with it when the time comes. Until then, they were sharing a life together. Juliette, or even the memories of her, didn't matter now. Nick was hers. He belonged to Adalind as much as she belonged to him.

Nick called. The phone rang as she finished the last bit her tea and settled deeper into the bed. She didn't think he would; he was so focused when he left that he wasn't sure he would remember. But Nick knew her well and he knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, not when he wasn't beside her. So he called. The conversation was short; they always kept the conversations short out of fear that they would be tracked. He was staying at Monroe and Rosalee's for the night. Adalind assured him that everything was good on her end. He told her who was there when he arrived, that Bud showed up too and sent his greetings. He planned on returning tomorrow, he wasn't sure about the time, but he would be back tomorrow.

Adalind heard everything he said and all the things that he didn't. There was a lot that he was leaving out of the conversation and it worried her because she heard it all in his voice. He was home and he didn't want to leave; the way he said everyone's name, the soft pause when he talked about returning tomorrow, made it glaringly obvious and Nicholas Burkhardt was right where he wanted to be.

She didn't doubt his devotion to their family; he wanted that too. The challenge would be could he have both. Could he be the big bad Grimm who didn't run from the people trying to hurt him while still being the family man? His aunt Marie and his mother had warned him about playing both roles. Adalind could hear the conflict in his voice and she was scared of the choice he would have to make.

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Nick pulls into the drive way and he can already see an excited Kelly standing by the screen door, eagerly waiting for his daddy to get out of the car and pick him up. It was their little ritual that got played out every time Nick returned home. Nick loved it. Kelly was his family, along with Adalind and Diana; they were the only family he had left. Growing up he didn't have much of a family and for a long time he pictured starting his own with Juliette. He'd been so excited about marrying her but she'd turned him down with good reason. The life of a Grimm was too dangerous to add a wife and children to the mix. His parents are dead because of it and his childhood spent with his aunt wasn't ideal. He didn't want that for Kelly or Diana.

Nick got out of the car and ran to the door to engulf his son in a huge hug and made him squeal with delight. It's the best part of every day and he couldn't imagine going without it. Diana and Kelly dominated his attention for a good hour and he loved it. There isn't much to report on but they turn tiny stories into big ones and Nick lapped it up with excitement. They look like a normal family and for a second he tricked himself into believing he could have it all.

Adalind joined in the greeting with a quick kiss on his lips but he recognized the questions in her eyes and her tight grip on his jacket before reluctantly letting him go. They needed to talk but it had to wait until the kids were satisfied. There was a part of Nick and wanted to delay the conversation until he next day, when he had another night to think about things. But he didn't delay longer than necessary. When his fatherly duties were fulfilled he sought her out. She was sitting around their dining room table, waiting for him. In his experience dining table conversations, when there was no food present on the table, was often not a good thing. He remembered some tough conversations with Juliette around their table. But this was him and Adalind and a lot was different now.

"The kids decided they wanted to color pictures." He smiled and she gave a nod.

"How was Portland?" there was no beating around the bush with her

"Interesting." He recapped seeing everyone for the first time in months and holding April for the first time. He shared about Wu's coping with Lycanthropia and Hank's report on what was happening in his life. It was a lot of words but they carried little substance in a moment pregnant with questions.

Adalind listened to Nick talk about the people that played a big part in his life and she tried to be patient but eventually her curiosity won out. "Nick?" her eyes met his and knew it was time to stop pretending that there weren't other important things on his mind.

"Renard dropped the charges." He relayed Hank's description of a conversation with the new captain.

"Are you going to take him up on the offer?" there was a lump in her throat when she asked the question, not because she was afraid of the answer, but because she could tell that he wanted that life back. Dropping the charges was a just a way for Sean and Michael to get to Nick. Michael didn't have a compassionate bone in his body; the guy did nothing without an ulterior motive.

"There are things that are happening. Black Claw, the resistance, all of it is moving forward and …" He paused, not sure how to say the words.

"You need to be there."

"Yes." Nick's eyes were on hers the entire time and they don't waver. He made his decision to return to Portland while he was driving back to his family. It was the necessary thing to do. As a Grimm he needed to fight against the forces out for power; it was a charge placed on him the very first day he could see Wesen as they were. "I need to do this. Renard and Black Claw are not going to stop until they have accomplished their plan. I can't let that happen."

"I know." There was a scream building inside her head but she couldn't let it out. The beist inside her wanted to lash out at him for making the decision that scared her. "You should be there. They need you and you need to stop whatever Sean has planned." She needed him too. The kids needed him. But it wasn't the time to be selfish; Adalind had done that enough. So many decisions, from the time she set out to get pregnant with Diana, were based on her selfish desires. Those decisions created tough situations for everyone. It was her turn to give something up.

"Adalind. I'm not making this decision lightly. I know this affects all of us." He'd spent the whole drive thinking about the danger he would be outing them in. It would be a challenge to find a safe place for them to live. Nick didn't think going back to the loft was a good idea, besides it wasn't big enough for the four them. He would need to find somewhere else and ensure that the best security measures were put in place. Renard may know where there are but Nick wouldn't make it easy for him to get to them.

"Nick. It's fine. You made the right call." There was truth in her eyes but also a sadness that told him he was breaking her heart. Nick had never seen that before on Adalind and the fact that he was the cause of it, hurt him more than he realized. "You should go back to Portland. I'll stay here with the kids."

to be continued...


	8. Chapter 8

**I can't say enough how grateful I am for all the reviews. Thanks for reading and following this story. This chapter is a little shorter than normal but I hope to make up for it in the next one.**

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The conversation was reminiscent of the night Nick told Adalind that he would be leaving for the Black Forest. He'd made arrangements for Rosalee to stay with her and Kelly, not wanting to take any chances and knowing that she didn't feel safe n her own. His journey to the Black Forest was something he had to do, despite the uncertainty of what awaited him there or if he would even return.

He remembered the questions she asked then and the obvious concern that laced her features and choked her words. She asked when he was leaving and he told her tomorrow; she turned away from him then, not wanting to face the reality of what he was saying or reveal the fear she felt that he might not return. For a second Nick questioned his decision to look for what the Grimms had hidden, but he knew it was something he needed to do. He hated the look on her face and the tug on his heart at the thought that he was making her worry. Even then, when things remained so new between them, Nick didn't want to cause Adalind any pain.

"I know I can't keep you from going, it's something you have to do. But I also know there is a chance that you won't come back." Those words played over in Nick's head as he sat at the table. "And I can't let you go without letting you know how I feel about you." She kissed him after that. "I don't care if this is a mistake; I love you." He'd been surprised to hear those words coming from her lips and mesmerized by the feel of her lips and her fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt.

Nick wasn't sure how he felt about Adalind at that time. He knew he stopped hating her and really liked the person she was around him and they way she was with Kelly. But love, then, seemed like a mountain he wasn't ready to climb or maybe he was afraid that their past was too great of an obstacle. That night was the first time they made love; which was a total surprise to both of them. The morning after they made love he didn't get much time to really think about it. Trubel called and then there was the journey to the Black Forest with Monroe. Nick was gone before he had time to really process beyond the short conversation with Adalind asking if she was okay with what had taken place.

Love was a nagging thing at the back of his mind. He'd been confused and uncertain of the path they were taking. She was Adalind and he was Nick and normally those two things did not go together. He wouldn't have said that he was in love with her then, but there was no doubt that somewhere, between discovering she was having his baby and making love, she had become a lot more important to him than he realized.

The difference between the two moments in Nick's life was that during the latter, as they sat at that table discussing him leaving again, he was overwhelmingly in love with the woman before him. Just like before, his decision was risky, but this time, instead of just having Monroe by his side he wanted her there.

"Adalind, I'm not leaving you or the kids behind."

"Nick. I understand that you need to do this, you're a Grimm. But the kids are fine here, they are safe and you can do what you need to do without worrying about us." Adalind recalled just how dark things were for them inside that house with Sean and Bonaparte. She had been reluctant to admit that she had been afraid of her own daughter, afraid of what Bonaparte could do to her children. Adalind didn't want to feel that way again. "Nick you know what Diana was like in Portland." the fact that she killed two people went unsaid because neither of them needed to be reminded of that.

Diana had changed significantly after leaving that house. Nick felt it that night he held her in his arms as she mourned the loss of his mom. The moment connected them in a way that he hadn't thought possible and she hadn't been the same since. Maybe Adalind was right about staying behind but Nick didn't like it.

"Adalind I can't leave you and the kids alone here. What if something happens? I won't be there to protect you or Kelly or Diana." When he left for the Black Forest he had Rosalee staying with Adalind to ensure her safety.

It's a fear that Adalind was not willing to give voice to; instead she woged, a reminder that she wasn't as helpless as she might feel. Adalind had battled many things in her life, including Nick. No one would hurt her children without a fight.

In the time that she lived with Nick she'd seldom woged, more like never. It was a part Adalind that she kept hidden from him. The decaying skeletal features of the Hexenbiest were a reminder of the cavern that existed between Grimm and Wesen. Adalind didn't want Nick to remember the person before Kelly. The creature that poisoned his friend, tried to kill his family and took on the form of his girlfriend to rob him of his abilities.

Adalind hated the Hexenbiest, so she buried it as best as she could. If she was normal, if the biest was hidden, then Nick wouldn't question the decision to be with her. He could touch and see Adalind without the dark that lay within. Revealing that side also opened Adalind to the darkness, it's easier to shut out the forces that twist and manipulate everything it comes into contact with than risk the damage it could cause. Adalind had too much to lose to let that side of her in; but she would if she needed to.

Nick didn't flinch when she woged. There were no signs on his face that anything had changed, but his eyes gave away the reminder of what she was. He looked at the skeletal form and there was a second when all his defenses began to rise but then Nick remembered the person behind that mask and how hard she had worked to not be seen as what she was. He couldn't remember the last time he saw that side of her, but there was a gentle pride in knowing that she was willing to use it if necessary. He smirked and thought 'that's my girl'.

Adalind rolled her head and in a second the Hexenbiest was gone. "Nick this isn't funny."

"I'm not laughing and I'm not leaving my family behind." The rational side of his brain knew it would be best, but Nick had no idea how long he would need to be in Portland.

"Nick. It's okay. We'll be okay. Diana is probably scarier than anything or anyone that may come after us."

He smiled that time, "true," and shook his head at the thought. "But we're all going or I'm staying here." Adalind rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Why? Why do you want to put or children at risk?"

"I don't want to put them at risk."

"Then what's the problem? Do you think I'm going to take them and disappear?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

His mother left him; both his parent's did. But she stayed away, out of his life, for years because she thought that was the best way to protect him. Nick lost so much time with her and even when she returned she was more like a shadow than the real thing. He didn't want to put them in an unsafe situation but he didn't want to be a shadow in their lives.

"I need you. I need you with me." He hated how selfish that sounded but it was the truth. Nick was willing to die for his family but he was not willing to die away from them.

Adalind looked away from him, her head turned to the side to avoid his eyes and he knew she was struggling with his request.

Being a Grimm wasn't easy, he saw what it did to Juliette; there was a part of him that would always feel responsible for what happened to her. She got hurt because she loved him, chose to be with him; he was too caught up in his new world to see it at the time. Nick knew the dangers or all of them.

"I don't know what is going to happen, but I promise to be honest with you. There are …" Nick took her hand in his, "things that you need to know." She turned to face him once more and it broke him to see tears in her eyes. "Adalind." He was asking a lot of her, more than he should be, but he couldn't help it.

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There was an unusual sound coming from the backdoor. The couple paused in their conversation as the light tapping noise filled the now silent room. Monroe was up from his chair in seconds and quickly ushered Rosalee upstairs while carrying a nursing April in her arms. He reached for the knife laying across the kitchen counter; set there a few seconds prior when he was busy chopping peppers to add to the dish he was making.

Monroe tip toed towards the floor along the door and assumed a defensive positive. When whomever opened that door he would be ready for them. He'd given in to the Blutbad side before when it was necessary to do so. Protecting his family was definitely a time that called for him to give in to his base instinct.

The jiggling, almost scrapping sound started again but Monroe didn't see the door handle move like someone was trying to break in. Just a few minutes ago he was making dinner and chatting with his wife and his best friend and whether or not he was going to make the scarier decision to return to Portland. They knew it was a trap by Renard; that he was just trying to get them to let their guard down. But Monroe was starting to wonder if Renard worked that fast. Did Renard think that since he offered Nick his life back they wouldn't be on the alert? Whoever the intruder was would be mistaken about that.

The sound stopped and he could make out whispered voices outside the door. There was definitely someone out there wanting to come in but Monroe was ready. He woged and waited for them to make a move. His heart was beating triple time as he counted down the seconds with the knife held tight in his right hand. He could take them. He would take them. There was no way Monroe was going to allow anyone to make it pass the kitchen. They weren't getting anywhere near his family.

The whispers continued and it was torture on every nerve in his body as they stand in high alert, waiting to react. He was afraid to breathe in, afraid to give away his position. They best defense he had was the element of surprise. Monroe's body was rigid against the wall as another sound echoed from beyond the door. He was ready.

The door handle finally giggled. They were trying to get in. He watched the knob twist and turn and then stop. Then it was followed by … a knock? Then came a second one.

"Monroe? Rosalee?"

He released the breath he was holding. Monroe opened the door and for the second time in two days he was face to face with someone he hadn't seen in months. Trubel and Eve greeted him and he quickly welcomed them into his home before shutting the door. He wasn't sure he could handle any more surprises.

"Where have you been?"

"Everywhere. We've been working with HW all over the globe." Trubel walked into the kitchen like she had been there many times. "Where is Rosalee?"

Monroe went to the stairs to let his wife know it was perfectly safe t come down. It was just Trubel and Eve, but he wasn't sure if it was a good thing. Trubel coming just a day after Nick appeared seemed like too much of a coincidence.

"Oh my gosh, Trubel, Eve." Rosalee descended the stairs with April in hand eager to great their long lost friends.

"You have a baby." Those were the first words Eve uttered.

They both looked surprised and Monroe remembered that they hadn't been around for the news. Being off the grid meant no communication. The next hour was spent catching up on life and introducing little April to the new comers as Monroe finished the meal he was making. Apparently HW was aware of some of the moves being made by Black Claw and apparently those moves weren't limited to the Portland area. HW was still gathering intelligence but agreed to Trubel and Eve returning to Portland.

Rosalee's eyes did not leave Eve throughout their conversation. There was something different about her and Rosalee wasn't sure if she should ask or wait for them to say something. The conversation continued and there was a distinct absence of the cold, preciseness of Eve that they'd all come to know. If Rosalee didn't know better she would think it was Juliette standing in front her, instead of the controlled Hexenbiest. The last time Rosalee say Eve, she was weak from the effects of the stick that Nick used to save her. She leaned on Trubel throughout most of the night, up until they all went their separate ways. Something had changed about her…again.

Juliette had turned into a powerful and angry Hexenbiest who orchestrated the death of Nick's mother. Then she'd returned and Eve; the cold, expressionless and controlled Hexenbiest. Rosalee was concerned about what she was now.

"I can't believe Nick was just here. How is he doing?" Monroe and Rosalee looked at each other and Trubel got the feeling that there were things she needed to know.

Monroe explained Renard dropping the charges and Nick being offered his job back.

"Is Nick going to do it?" There was an anxiousness in Eve's voice.

"He would be a fool to believe that they weren't up to something." Trubel would gladly have Nick around, but at what cost.

"We will need him here in Portland. I don't think we can take on Black Claw without him." Rosalee mentally questioned Eve's motives for wanting Nick around. Even as the cold, emotionless Eve, she still showed a softness where Nick was concerned.

"Nick has a family to think about." Just like her and Monroe. They wanted to stop Black Claw but they had more than themselves to think about. April was the most important person in their life, they would do anything to keep her safe.

"We have no idea what Nick is going to do but there is another reason Nick was here." Monroe pulled out the replica of Nick's map and explained what the Grimm had discovered while in hiding. It was obvious that Trubel and Eve weren't as surprised as Monroe though they would be.

Trubel looked up from the map laid out on the table and tried not to look as worried as she felt. Now she knew why HW allowed them to return to Portland. "I saw another map like this one. We were with HW in Germany. Only it wasn't Portland, it was Lisbon."

"Lisbon?" Monroe wasn't sure what to make of that. "What the hell is going on?"

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"This isn't the easiest relationship because of how we started. Trust isn't a natural thing for us." Those words echoed in Adalind's head as she listened to the things Nick told her. She could recall standing in the loft, Kelly asleep, as she said those words and moved towards Nick with purpose. Things were never going to easy or fall perfectly into place for them and even then she knew they would need to work at it. So as Nick told her everything about the map and the stick he found in the Black Forest that saved Monroe and Eve. It was also how he survived the assault by Black Claw in the loft that night. Adalind listened to all of it and tried to be open to the fact that he was making an effort to include her.

It was Nick's way of assuring her that he trusted her. He was letting her in on the secret that he kept for the past year, hiding along with the truck in the garage. Adalind remembered Nick's return from the trip to Germany. She'd asked him about it and he'd reported that they'd found bones in a catacomb but no idea of what was buried. He'd lied to her at the same time that she'd omitted to tell him about her powers returning. Relationships aren't easy and that was especially true for them.

Adalind sat crossed legged on the bed. Nick's map spread in front of her as she let in all sink in. She looked at the circle that he had drawn, connecting the towns where Black Claw was apparently present. She couldn't help staring at it and wondered if it was indeed the beginning of a ritual. Circles were commonly used in all types of rituals dating back thousands of years. Circles represented completion, wholeness or a cycle. In some cases it was used to represent heaven and eternity. Circles were not enough to make a ritual, they are just the building blocks. Rituals require other things; objects, symbols or some type of sacrifice.

As a Hexenbiest it was important to have knowledge of spells and rituals and anything that pulls on supernatural forces. Catherine Schade ensured that her daughter received the proper Hexenbiest education; in a way Adalind was grateful.

"Figured anything out?" Nick walked into their bedroom, after being careful not to wake the kids as he walked by their rooms.

He carried something in his hand, it looked like an old piece of cloth and Adalind figured the stick must be wrapped in it. Nick said that it saved Monroe and Eve and him. Adalind wasn't aware of anything that had that kind of power but she knew anything that had the power to heal or restore life came with heavy consequences. When Elizabeth resurrected Sean a wicked spirit came back with him, if they hadn't been able to help him then the spirit would have taken over and continued killing.

"Did you find anything else with the stick?" Adalind carefully took the wrapped object from Nick and laid it before her on top of the map.

"No, just the cloth it was wrapped in."

"Nick, there is a reason the Grimms buried this thing. I know it saved your life and I'm grateful but life and death is nothing to play with."

Adalind carefully unwrapped the cloth and looked at the plain, unassuming stick that looked like any other stick on the ground in the woods around the house. She was careful not to touch it. Nick said Juliette had a weird reaction to it and she didn't know if that was a Hexenbiest thing. Hexenbiests have a natural connection to the supernatural.

"There are symbols on the cloth but I can barely make them out. It's too faded." Adalind couldn't shake the feeling that she was looking at something that they had no business dealing with.

"We couldn't make anything out either. What we know about it all happened by accident. It was wasn't in my hand when I tried to help Monroe then we would never have known that it could heal."

"Did Monroe have any strange reactions afterwards?"

"No nothing. He was fine. It was just Eve."

Adalind looked up at him and wondered how different things would have been if this thing hadn't been in his pocket that night. If Juliette hadn't been hurt it would have remained ensconced in its hiding place in the tunnel. Nick would be dead. "Nick what was it like? When you were shot and then came back." Adalind hadn't noticed anything strange about Nick in the last year. He wasn't experiencing the same effect like Sean did, but that didn't mean something wasn't there.

Nick sat on the edge of their bed, his hand finding its way to her thigh as he thought about that night. "Just darkness." She loved over slightly so that he could more comfortably fit on the bed beside her. Nick adjusted his body, his hand snaking along her thigh until it rested on her lower back, making small circles as he thought further about her question.

"I could feel the pain of being shot and the shock that it sent through my body. It hurt, right here." Nick took her hand in his and placed it on his chest. "I remember trying to will myself to stay standing, but I couldn't. I fell to the floor."

He released her hand and found her cheek, she was always so soft. Funny enough it was one of the things that surprised him when they started living together; soft was never a word he would have associated with Adalind. "All I could think about was Kelly and you. I could see myself laying on the floor with a giggling Kelly bouncing on my chest, I held him close and turned my head towards you. You were standing there, in your towel." Nick smirked at the memory. "You smiled at me and I smiled back. We kept looking at each other while Kelly giggled and I'd never been so happy. I have no idea how long it lasted but eventually the image of us and Kelly disappeared and there was just nothing."

Nick grazed her lips with his, it could barely be considered a kiss. "Then it all came rushing back. The pain was gone and I was again whole and aware of exactly where I was and what was going on."

"Were you curious about what happened?"

"Initially, no. I didn't have time to be. I had the element of surprise, but after that I knew immediately what happened. I remembered the stick in my jacket pocket and I knew it saved me."

"I'm grateful that you're okay. Whatever this thing is … I wouldn't have you." Adalind didn't want to think about what they would have done without Nick. Sean would probably have found them by now and he would have won in every way.

Nick's lips landed on hers again and that time it was more than a gentle graze. His thumb moved against her cheek as the kiss deepened and for a minute they were both caught up in the sensation of each other but Adalind brought that to an end. There were other things they needed to talk about.

"Nick I need to tell you something."

Nick pulled back slightly and watched her eyes. It was his way of gaging how serious a situation was or how she was feeling. He'd learned to read her eyes in their time together and right then he knew something important was coming. He quietly waited, worried that she would remain steadfast in her decision to stay behind with the children. He'd just described what it felt like to die; not exactly a story that would encourage her to return to Portland.

"I'm pregnant."

To say that was not what he was expecting would be an understatement. He pulled back further and got to his feet. "Wow. Are you sure?"

"Nick, I'm pretty sure." Of course she was sure why wouldn't she be. Nick stood looking at her, his hand snaked through his hair as he tried to identify any sign on Adalind that would give evidence to her words. She looked the same. His eyes travelled down to her stomach and before he knew it his hand followed his gaze.

Adalind covered Nick's hand with hers and released a breath.

"Wow. We're having a baby." He grinned

"I know." And so did she. "Another one."

They smiled at each other and Nick was filled with the same sense of happiness that greeted him in those moments between death and living. Nick held her close, wrapped her in his arms as he processed the news that he was going to be a father again.

It wasn't an act of revenge that resulted in unexpected consequences. Their baby was nestled in Adalind's womb because they loved each other. Nick would be there for all of it this time, not thrown in near the end of the pregnancy because Adalind felt that she had no other choice. They were in it together, from the beginning.

"Are you okay? Is there anything you need?"

Adalind chuckled at his concern. "No, I'm fine."

Nick knew nothing about pregnant women and what to do or not to do. If felt like a whole new experience for him. In a way it was for the both of them. Adalind leaned further into Nick and he couldn't hold her tight enough. He would do everything to keep his family safe and with this new addition it was even more important for them to remain outside of Renard's or Black Claw's reach. There was no way they could go back to Portland

to be continued...


	9. Chapter 9

**Another chapter complete; still wondering how I got this far. Its probably the result of all the awesome reviews and follows that motivate me to keep going with this story. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I love hearing what you guys think and predictions/ideas for where the story will/should go.**

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Sean looked out the window of his office and marveled at the beauty of his city. The image of Portland was laid out before him with the sun bouncing off the tops of buildings and windows that reflected its light. The Wells Fargo building sat right in his line of sight; a reminder of possibilities and what man can achieve when they have a goal. The water calmly glistened by the harbor; even from the distance he could see the slight sway of the boats from the soft current. It was his favorite place to be on any given day. The view was a reminder of everything that was his to direct and mold to his will.

Sean's hand rested securely in his pocket as he continued to gaze out at the beauty of a city that he loved in his own way. Portland wasn't native to him but it had accepted him when no one else did, not even his own family. Portland took him in like an adoptive parent and this was his opportunity to show his gratitude.

Sean Renard wasn't trying to destroy the city he was out to make it better. He never had plans to be Major but he was always destined to do great things. His mother reminded him of that. Working with Black Claw was a means to an end for him; he never saw himself aligning with a group of that nature but they had resources that would get him what he needed.

Black Claw was becoming more of a nuisance but he still needed their connections. Being Mayor was not enough he needed connections in the judicial and political system and law enforcement to help him move things along in the direction that he needed. Their agenda wasn't his but Sean was going along with it.

Standing by the ceiling to floor windows allowed him to think. It's where everything got quite and he had time for himself without questions, answers or pressure from any entity. Sean stood by the windows, looking out and his thoughts moved to Nicholas Burkhardt. At one point in time he would have started to consider Nick a friend but that changed when Black Claw stepped in. Sean didn't regret it. He could never be truly friends with a Grimm.

He just wasn't okay with the charges being dropped. Michael assured him that it was the best thing to do but Sean wasn't so sure. He'd learned not to underestimate Nick, even when he was just transitioning into the Grimm role he had been a lot more formidable than Sean expected. Black Claw was a fool to think that allowing Nick the freedom to return to Portland would give them exactly what they wanted. Nick was the only person who could tie Sean to Bonaparte's death; if they knew Sean was responsible … he would lose everything.

Sean just wanted Diana. Adalind did not have a right to keep him away from his daughter. But, it was a situation outside the law. Diana's birth was never registered, legally he had no claims on her, and ties to the judicial system were of no help in that situation. It had to be dealt with in his own way.

Black Claw wouldn't hesitate to take Sean out if they knew that Conrad died at his hands. Sean couldn't let that happen. Michael may be correct about pulling Nick out of the shadows but Sean fully intended to kill him the moment he appeared. With Nick gone Adalind would be vulnerable and she'd come running to him for help. He didn't care about the plans Black Claw had for Nick; for some reason they wanted him and not just to kill him. There were things going on that Sean was not aware of.

None of that mattered, his priority was Diana. She was his daughter and deserved to be a part of his life. Adalind may think that she needed to keep Diana away to protect her, but Sean would never allow anyone to hurt Diana. He sent her with Nick's mother to keep her out of the hands of the royals, why would he do anything to harm her now. Michael was adamant that Diana's presence would be helpful for him but helpful or not, Sean deserved to have his daughter be a part of his life.

He understood Adalind's decision to keep her away. He didn't like it but he understood it and when he needed to he had done the same thing to protect Diana. But Diana didn't need protection from him. He was her father, would always be, no matter if Adalind tried to put Nick in that role. Diana would never forget that she belonged to him, that she was a part of Sean. She loved her daddy and Sean fully intended on reviving that bond.

"Excuse me, Mr. Mayor?"

Sean turned around at the intrusion, ready to reprimand the staff member. He stopped when he saw the person standing beside the young intern who looked ready to through himself at the mercy of the Mayor who was adamant that he did not want to be interrupted.

"I'm sorry Sr. but …"

"Its fine, you can leave us." He'd become an expert at brushing aside insignificant staff.

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Juliette. The name bounced around in her head from time to time, like an old friend she hadn't seen in way too long. The name sounded far away but carried a familiarity and sense of truth that often left her feeling overwhelmed and uncertain of what to do. She was more comfortable with Eve; the name given to her by HW after her reprogramming. Eve seemed more appropriate and less threatening. That name didn't leave her feeling weak and like a child caught in the dark waiting to be rescued.

Eve slowly got up from the bed in Monroe and Rosalee's quest room. It wasn't much of a space, it could barely be considered a guess room but it was enough for her and Trubel. Eve noted that that person wasn't in her bed on the other side of the room. Trubel was always up and moving before anyone, ready to take on whatever mission HW had for her. Eve wasn't so enthusiastic; her days were more melancholic and filled with a longing that she was scared to give voice to.

Eve got her shoes on and went through the door. A quick stop in the bathroom was followed by a trip to the kitchen. Tea would make her feel better. It's a desire seemed tied to memories of her old life. Juliette's life. The veterinarian who took care of animals and helped her boyfriend solve Wesen crimes. Images of that life tended to flood her mind when she slept; filling Eve with all the emotions tied to every scene that played behind her eyes.

There were memories tied all over Portland, including the house she was standing in. She'd been in the kitchen before, sitting by the counter with Rosalee and chatting as they waited for the kettle to boil. It seemed right to fill the silver kettle with water from the tap and place it on top of the flames. It felt right when she sat at the counter and waited for the familiar whistling sound that signaled that the water was ready.

Eve knew exactly when things started to change. It was gradual and it wasn't intentional. It happened the night Nick saved her life. Whatever that stick was that the Grimms buried in the Black Forest, it didn't just heal her physically. For a year Eve had been dealing with the effects of that night. Nick wasn't the only one whose life had been placed in limbo. Eve had been walking around as Eve but carrying the weight of Juliette with her.

HW had done her a great service by reprogramming the Hexenbiest out for revenge. Eve knew there was no way she would have survived the torment that existed inside of her then. Juliette had been filled with so much anger that it was going to consume her and anyone that tried to come close to her. Her love for Nick had morphed into a burning hate twisted by the darkness of the Hexenbiest. Juliette wanted to hurt him, but most of all she wanted to hurt Adalind.

Adalind took everything from Juliette. She made Juliette into the monster that she had become. Juliette wanted Adalind dead. But Adalind was smart and she ran to Nick, knowing that he would do the right thing and protect her because she was carrying his child. A child that should not have been in the first place. A child that was the result of Adalind's deceit. Adalind was not deserving of Nick's protection but he gave it anyway. Juliette had to watch him stand between them. She saw the look on Nick's face; he looked at her like she was a stranger, instead of the woman that he had spent the last few years of his life with. Nick saw the monster inside instead of the woman who desperately needed his help.

Standing in front of Adalind meant that Nick had turned his back on Juliette. It was the final signal that it was over. Nick had made a choice and the relationship was at an end. Adalind had won, again, and Nick was too blind to realize what was happening. Juliette hated both of them then and the moment solidified every decision she made afterwards.

If she couldn't get to Adalind then she would go after the one person that Adalind ever seemed to care about, Diana. It was a plan fueled by hatred and the broken heart of a woman who had lost everything. Juliette didn't deserve what happened to her. She stood by Nick and scarified for him. She didn't deserve the look of disgust that radiated off of Nick when he saw what she had become. When he tried to help her Juliette had already given over to the Hexenbiest, too heartbroken to fight it and resolved that there was no going back.

HW saved Juliette. They took away all the hurt and anger and created Eve. Then Nick saved her life and undid all of it.

The stick, whatever it was, healed her physically but also took the Hexenbiest with it.

It took about a week for Eve to figure out what happened to her. By then they were with HW in Germany. They tried different tests but there was no trace of her powers or abilities. The Hexenbiest was gone. She was still Eve, but Juliette's consciousness was slowly blending with Eve's and what was happening remained uncertain. Would she wake up one morning and be Juliette again with Eve no longer a part of her? It didn't happen that way.

She was still Eve, but it took all her strength to keep Juliette from overwhelming her. She wasn't ready to deal with Juliette's emotions; the fear and guilt and sense of betrayal that seemed attached to so much. If she was Juliette again then she would have to confront what she had done to Nick. She wasn't ready for that.

"Good morning." Rosalee walked into the kitchen dressed in a robe and the kettle suddenly whistled as if it was waiting for her. "Oh, perfect. I could use a cup of tea before April is ready for her feeding."

"I was about to make some for myself."

"Don't worry about it I got it. What would you like?" The moment was very familiar but the comfort level that was there before was noticeably absent.

Rosalee made tea for both of them and stood on the other side of the counter as she sipped. The barrier between wasn't lost on Eve but she understood why and wasn't ready to confront what she had chosen to remain hidden.

"Have you seen Trubel?" The absence of her companion was a concern.

Rosalee cleared her throat and wiped away invisible crumbs before meeting Eve's eyes. "She left late last night."

"She left." That was strange. "She didn't say anything to me." Eve had felt exhausted from wrestling with the feelings inside her and opted to go to bed early to have some time alone. Trubel was the only one with any idea as to what was happening to her.

"It was a last minute decision." Rosalee looked uncomfortable as she sipped her tea.

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Being pregnant definitely had its draw backs and Adalind wondered why she was putting herself through it a third time. As if once wasn't enough to deter anyone. But it wasn't like she planned it; like everything else in her life in the last two and a half years. Adalind raised her head out of the toilet bowl and found four eyes looking intently at her. Diana and Kelly stood at the door to the bathroom; Kelly rolled a toy car between his fingers as he stood waiting.

"Mama?"

"I'm fine honey, just give me a second." Adalind couldn't even loose her breakfast without an audience. She was on her feet with her teeth brushed at a pace that was not helpful but Adalind hated the concerned look on her children's face. "Diana, I'm fine … really." She reinforced when the child kept looking at her as they walked towards the family room.

"Are you going to have a baby?" She hoped to discuss it with the kids when Nick returned home, but it was not working out that way.

Kelly turned at the words but then he ran towards the box of toys and showed no concern for the conversation about to take place.

Adalind walked her daughter to the couch and sat with her. Diana was always intuitive, she had the ability to sense things other people couldn't, in a way that was beyond normal Hexenbiest abilities. Similar to only one other person that Adalind knew, Henrietta. She's known Adalind was pregnant with Kelly before Adalind did.

"Yes, I'm having a baby. Your daddy and I were planning on telling you and Kelly together." Adalind ran a hand over her daughter's hair, unsure what her daughter was thinking. "Are you ok with that? Do you have any concerns about a new brother or sister?"

"No. Kelly is my brother and I like him. I'm sure I'll like my new brother too. "

Adalind smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Well, we don't know if it's going to be a boy or a girl. You could be getting a baby sister."

"No. It's a boy. He's like Kelly."

Adalind release her daughter and looked directly at her. "Diana. You can tell it's a boy?" She nodded with a smile; proud that she could help. "What do you mean he's like Kelly?"

Diana's little shoulders went up. "I don't know. It's just that he is like Kelly mama."

"Ana help." With the call from her little brother she was gone and Adalind was left wondering about Diana's words. How much could she really tell? Maybe she meant the baby was a boy in the same way that Kelly was a boy.

Adalind wondered how Nick will react to learning that their daughter was able to tell the sex of their baby. They didn't need an ultrasound when they had a live one at home. At that thought Adalind was reminded that she needed to make an appointment with the local clinic. She didn't exactly do things right the first two times but she wanted to make sure everything was okay. Connecting to a local clinic may affect their anonymity and was something they would need to discuss.

The charges against Nick were dropped. They weren't going back to Portland. But that didn't mean Sean wasn't still looking for them. They still had to figure things out about how they were going to live their lives. Maybe she could give the clinic a fake name but what would happen when their child was born. Would they have to put their fake identities on his birth certificate? Diana didn't have one; for obvious reasons. But Kelly did and it had Adalind Schade and Nicholas Burkhardt as the parents.

"Mama truck." Kelly was up and moving towards the door before Adalind registered his words.

Adalind believed Kelly this time. But Nick had only been gone for a couple of hours; she wasn't expecting him back home until much later in the day. Something must have happened. Kelly stood by the door on tiptoes trying to turn the handle, but it was locked. She could see his face concentrating really hard on the task. But Adalind had a feeling Nick returning home at this hour was not a good thing.

"Kelly, hold on okay. I'll get the door for you." Adalind got up from the couch but before she could get to Kelly he was moving away from the door and turning his attention back to his toys. "Kelly, you're not going to wait for daddy."

He shook his head and moved his toy truck across the carpet. "No daddy."

Adalind frowned at his words and watched her son dive back into his play word. May be he was wrong about what he heard. Maybe the other day was a fluke and it was all chance that Nick showed up at that time. Adalind thought nothing further of it and moved to the kitchen to clean up the mess left over from their breakfast.

There were some things Nick and Adalind needed to figure out for their family. They needed to figure out something more permanent. They couldn't live in that house forever and the job Nick had was good for now but he had no intentions of doing that long term. They needed to create a plan for their lives and for their kids. She had her law degree and was a pretty good lawyer when she was in practice. But all of that hinged on keeping off of Sean's and Black Claw's radar.

"Mama." Adalind turned to her daughter, hands still deep in warm soapy water. "There is someone coming. It's not daddy."

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in but when they did Adalind flew into action. She moved towards the front and looked out the window. She didn't see or hear anything but she believed Diana.

"Take Kelly and go upstairs to your room and lock the door behind you." It took some prodding but they got Kelly moving with Diana, his box of toys ahead of them as Diana controlled it with her powers.

Adalind checked all the windows and doors. Everything was locked. She also knew where Nick kept his gun if she needed it. The sound of an engine hit her ear the moment she reentered the kitchen and grabbed the phone from the counter where she left it earlier. She hardly ever used the thing, it hadn't moved from the counter since Nick returned from Portland two prior. Adalind dialed Nick and waited for him to pick up as the sound of an engine got closer. It wasn't Nick's truck; the engine was smoother and sounded like a smaller and newer vehicle.

"Nick!" She barely waited for him to say a word. "Someone is here. They are coming up the drive way. I don't know who it is." She could hear the fear in her voice and she knew Nick would too. They had a lot to lose if it was someone out to hurt them. It could be someone who was lost; tourists who got turned around and are looking for directions.

"I'm on my way." The words gave her some comfort and made her hopeful.

There were no signs of life. No sign that anyone was home. Whoever could turn around thinking the place was empty or the people who lived there were out. It's the outcome Adalind was hoping for. She would fight tooth and nail to protect her kids but she didn't want it to come to that.

She looked out the window, careful to protect herself from view as the vehicle came around the bend and into sight. It wasn't a truck or a car. It was a black motorcycle; one that Adalind was all too familiar with. If she recalled what Nick said, the thing was worth over forty thousand dollars and was weaponized for battle. Adalind breathed a sigh of relief and dialed Nick's number again.

"Are you okay?" He sounded anxious, with good reason.

"Yeah, we're fine. Trubel is here."

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Nick tore out of the parking lot on his quest home, intent on getting there as fast as he could. Someone, other than Nick, coming down the drive way wasn't a normal occurrence for them. It was a sign that they had been discovered. So Nick was on his way to the car before he even got off the phone with Adalind. Everyone would be wondering what the heck happened, he could feel their eyes following him, but Nick didn't have time to offer an explanation.

The words 'Trubel is here', evoked a different set of feelings for Nick. He was filled with anger and dread before but that changed to curiosity. Trubel always seem to have a way to find him; then again she had the resources of HW to pull on. Nick stayed on the journey home. The treat may be gone but he wanted to know why Trubel was there and he didn't think it was a coincidence that she showed up just days after his visit to Portland.

Nick arrived home a lot faster than usual and he parked beside the familiar motorcycle that was Trubel issued. Kelly's familiar face was absent from the screen door but he could hear the reason the second he walked through the front door. Kelly was in that phase where no was a hated word; the 'no's were followed by wailing and Nick figured this was one of those moments.

Kelly's little form was sitting on a chair in the corner of the family room and the wailing filled the room and left space for nothing else. Adalind was sitting at the table, trying to pretend that Kelly's cries didn't affect her but Nick knew better. He'd seen her leave the room to cry alone in the bathroom when she had to put Kelly in a time out. It only happened a couple of times and just recently in last few weeks as Kelly was starting to push the boundaries a lot more. They still had a few months to go before he turned two but they figured Kelly decided to start driving his parents crazy a lot earlier.

The crying turned into whimpers as soon as Kelly saw Nick and he was up and out of the chair before any protests could be made. Nick wrapped his son in his arms. "Hey buddy." He rubbed small circles on Kelly's back as he walked towards Adalind and the daggers being sent his way.

"Nick." Adalind reprimanded.

"I'm sorry." He mouthed. They were both aware that he was not the strongest when it came to disciplining Kelly. He stood with Kelly while the ladies remained seated. "Trubel. Good to see you again."

"Same here. You look … older."

"Thanks." Nick shook his head as he continued to soothe his son whose head was logged between his shoulder and his jaw. "Let me guess. You tracked the cell phone."

"Monroe gave me the number. It was pretty easy after that." Trubel smirked. "I got there the same day you left."

"What brought you back to Portland?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Nick had made the decision to stay out of what was going on. He was putting his family first.

"I came to see how things were going. Things were a mess when we left the last time. I've been working with HW all over. Nick, Monroe and Rosalee showed me a map that you brought to them."

His eyes met Adalind's and he could only guess at what she was thinking but there was obvious concern.

"What's going on?"

"Nick, I saw a map just like that one. HW had it; I took a picture of yours and sent to them." Trubel pulled out her phone and both Nick and Adalind move towards her to view the image that appeared. It was map with two circles drawn, just like the one Nick did; except, it was Portland. It was a map of Lisbon; a whole content away from Portland.

"What does this mean?" Adalind had a bad feeling about all of it.

"I don't know. But it can't be a coincidence." Nick felt like his thoughts had matched Trubel's words a lot lately.

"Daddy. Juce peas." Kelly words were muffled in his neck but Nick could understand them.

"I'll take him."

"Kel, go to mama." Nick handed over his son and watched him cling to her neck. As Adalind moved away with their son Nick tried to keep his focus on his family. No matter Trubel shared with him, it wasn't his fight anymore. Being a Grimm had to be placed on hold for now.

"Nick. We need you in Portland. Whatever Black Claw is planning, its' going to take all of us to bring them down." Trubel was looking at him, more like looking to him, the way she had a tendency of doing.

"I know things are getting complicated, but I can't get involved. Not right now."

"Nick you can't be serious. We can't do this without you." She looked up to Nick, but he had to let her down.

"Yes, you can. You've travelled the word and taken down monsters on your own. You don't need me." Trubel didn't believe his words.

"Nick, you're right I've taken on my fair share of Wesen and lived to tell about it. But I'm not like you. You're different Nick. I've worked with other Grimms around the world and none of them are like you. Nick, even HW knows it." Nick didn't believe that for second. A Grimm was a Grimm, there was nothing that set him apart. "I think that's why they allowed me to come back here. They know we are gearing up for a fight."

It's not that Nick didn't want to help. Taking down Black Claw and Sean Renard would be satisfying but there was too much at stake for him. Adalind and the kids came first, he couldn't risk them getting hurt because of him. Nick released a deep breath and tried not to feel guilty for his next words. "I'm sorry. But I need to sit this one out."

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"Is Trubel okay?" Adalind pulled back the covers on their bed and climbed in. "The couch isn't the most comfortable but I hopefully it okay."

"Yeah, she's fine. She's slept in worse places than our couch." Nick pulled the shirt over his head and kicked his shoes to the corner.

It wasn't the couch that would cause Trubel to sleep uneasily tonight. Nick couldn't shake the feeling that he was letting his friends down. He was the one that pulled all of them into this fight. Monroe, Rosalee, Eve, Hank, Wu and even Trubel; none of them would be worrying about Wesen organizations trying to take over if it wasn't for Nick being a Grimm and pull them into a mess that he was leaving behind.

"Nick. I was thinking. About the maps." He pulled back the covers and joined her. "If it is some type of ritual, then there needs to be a something connecting each location. Setting up shop isn't enough. They would need some type of object or symbol that would link the spiritual energy."

"Like a beacon?"

"Yeah, sorta like that. If they are doing it in more than one place then I could bet it's a symbol that their followers could create and place in a specific location. It would be too much to supply everyone with an object and you'd have to have enough for each location. Yeah, I'm definitely thinking symbol." She was resting on her side, her attention directed to Nick as her thoughts flowed.

"We'll let Trubel know in the morning."

"I could probably do some research to see what could harness energy on such a large scale."

"Adalind."

She took a deep breath and reached her palm towards his chest. "I'm sure I could locate something in the books."

"Adalind."

"Nick." Adalind moved forward and rested her head against his chest. She always felt safe in Nick's arms because she knew he would do anything to protect her. Nick pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her body. "The fome is a little small but I'm sure we could make it work."

"Adalind, no."

"Nick, yes."

"We agreed."

"I changed my mind."

"I can't risk it. We shouldn't risk it."

"As long as Sean and Black Claw are out there then we'll always be at risk. We'll always be looking over our shoulders."

"You're pregnant. We're having a baby. Now is not the time to start a war."

"Hey I had Diana under some pretty difficult circumstances. Come to think of it, Kelly too. I'm sure this one will be just fine."

Nick released a heavy breath. "Why does this feel more like a made decision rather than a discussion?"

Adalind chuckled. "Ahh Detective Burckhardt you're finally getting it."

To be continued …


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